Community Outreach Proposal:

Concussion Education, Safety, and Awareness

Program (CESAP)
Allen Champagne1, Chris Griffiths2, Trevor Morey2, Logan Seaman2
1
Department of Neuroscience, 2School of Medicine, Queens University
 Executive Summary

CESAP aims to empower civilians and athletes on concussion injuries through evidence-
based education and on field helmetless clinics. Our program hopes to act as a bridge between
athletics and science as a way to fuel the current movement aimed at improving players safety in
sports through both educative and behavior modifying approaches.
The CESAP clinic consists of an afternoon based in the classroom and on the field, for
athletes, coaches, training staff and parents. In the classroom, we introduce the basics of
neuroanatomy, and concussion biomechanics, symptomology and management in a one hour
small group session. Through increased awareness of symptoms and proper post-concussion
protocol, we aim to empower athletes, coaches and training staff alike to best identify and
manage injury. On the field, we provide helmetless and equipmentless position specific drills
designed to modify tackling and blocking behavior and minimize the amount of head contact and
exposure to concussive blows. Finally, we speak to parents to field questions, provide resources
and promote best practice in helping their children identify and manage head injuries.
Through this free clinic led by volunteer varsity athletes, MSc Neurosciences and MD
students, we seek to promote safety on the field that will keep the next generation healthy and
active in team-based sports.

Concussion Education Safety and Awareness Program 2

 I. Situation Statement: Head injuries and safety in youth/high-school football

Concussions have been established as one of the most common forms of traumatic brain
injury (TBI) across the world1, and are now a considered a major public health concern. In 2011,
the Centers for Disease Control estimated that 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions occurred in sports
and recreational activities 2. Although still not fully understood, concussive injuries are typically
functional and not structural, which means that they cannot readily be diagnosed from medical
technologies such as x-rays, CT scans and/or MRIs. Symptoms most often reported by
individuals following a concussive impact are headache, loss of balance/dizziness, slowing down
of mental reasoning, loss of concentration, sensitivity to light and memory loss3,4. Recent
advances in technology have provided innovative ways, such as helmet accelerometers, video
analysis and reconstruction of in-game impacts and injuries, to study the biomechanical factors
of head impacts in more natural settings5. Such technology has allowed us to determine that
concussive impacts in football are primarily related to sudden head deceleration resulting from
helmet to helmet, helmet to other body regions, or helmet to ground impacts (or collisions).
Reconstructions and studies of game collisions have established that impacts to the facemask and
to the front of the head, as well as to the top of the helmet and the sides were most the common
scenarios leading to concussive injuries5.

Given what we know about concussive injuries, it is our role as coaches, mentors, parents, and
associated staff, to provide youth with safe opportunities to practice and play the game of
football. There is no question that football can bring positive benefits to youth; increased social
interactions, competitiveness, lessons in teamwork and discipline, to name just a few. However,
like any sport, football involves certain risks that must be minimized in order to play the game
safely. Recent development of programs such as Safe Contact (by Football Canada:
http://safecontact.footballcanada.com) or Heads Up Football (by USA Football:
http://usafootball.com/contact_us#) have led the way in educating youth on how to enjoy the
game of football safely. CESAP hopes to provide a similar opportunity for youth and the high-
school football community of Kingston to advance players safety in the game we love.

II. Goals and Objectives

CESAP aims to build a strong partnership between the scientific community at the Center for
Neuroscience Studies (CNS) and the Queens Gaels varsity football program in order to lead the
way in promoting concussion awareness education and safety playing the game. As an outreach
program, CESAP hopes to target local youth and high-school football programs in order to
provide concussion educative seminars as well as on-field tackling and blocking clinics meant to
promote safer tackling/blocking techniques in athletes. Such educative and behavior modifying
programs have been shown to be valuable in NCAA football athletes6, which highlights the
applicability and importance of such initiative. By incorporating expertise from the science

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 community and the Gaels Varsity football team, CESAP will provide local players, parents,
and coaches an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of behavioral modification and
concussion education. CESAP hopes to act as a bridge between collegiate athletics and the
football community of Kingston as a way to give back to the community and fuel the current
movement aimed at improving players safety in sports.

III. Incentives and Programs Offered To the Community

A. Concussion awareness and education clinics

These clinics will focus on three different levels of action post-injury: players, coaches, and
parents. In addition to covering basic science information and signs and symptoms regarding
concussive injuries, those clinics aim at providing athletes, coaches and parents important
decision making tools regarding post-injury protocols as well as symptoms management.
Collaboration between all three levels (player, coach, parent) is essential in order to maximize
the players safety and these clinics will provide a framework to make this possible.

B. Equipment fitting tutorials

An essential first step, equipment-fitting tutorials will be geared towards teaching/reviewing

proper equipment fitting techniques for helmets and shoulder pads in order to achieve optimal
protection. Although proper equipment fitting does not guarantee a concussion-free game
atmosphere, it is an important variable that we can control, but which is too often overlooked.

C. Tackling and blocking helmetless on-field clinics

The on-field clinics are believed to be the most important part of the CESAP program.
Geared towards athletes and coaches, the tackling and blocking drills will focus on teaching the
players to reduce the usage of the head/helmet while playing football. Appropriate technique and
good coaching is the ultimate driving factor for behavior modification in football. By teaching
players how to block and tackle with their head up, it is our goal that these skills will be carried
over into game/scrimmage situations and consequently reduce rates of concussive injuries.
Implementing heads up fundamental football drills is intended to give young football players a
chance to practice and play their favorite sport safely without compromising any of the fun!

D. Concussive injury action plan consulting

The reality of sports is that injuries happen. Our job as coaches, athletic training staff, and/or
parents, is to act appropriately when a concussive injury is suspected in a player. To do so, a

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 clear and efficient action plan must be in place to facilitate the post-injury protocol, recovery and
return to play. CESAP hopes to provide opportunities for coaches and staff to ask questions
about their concussive-injury protocol if needed. Our experiences in sports and collaboration
with Queens athletics and the CNS provide us access to trained professionals who can serve as
resources to address questions as needed.

IV. Targeted Audiences

A. Decision makers & parties involved

(1) The Center for Neuroscience Studies Queens University
(http://neuroscience.queensu.ca)
The CNS Neuroscience Outreach Program aims to implement community projects
focusing on current neurological issues. With concussive injuries being a hot topic
nowadays, what better than intelligent, dedicated and leading students to teach
players, parents and coaches about the signs and symptoms of concussions as well as
the basic science behind head injuries.

(2) The Queens School of Medicine

The Queen's University School of Medicine will be engaged by providing
evidenced based information under the supervision of physicians. Engaged medical
faculty will include neurologists, paediatricians in adolescent medicine, and
neurosurgeons who will be involved in the preparation of an interactive module based
session for athletes, and information resources for parents. A one hour module based
talk on basic neuroanatomy and the effects of concussion on brain function will be
taught to varsity athletes for them to present, with a member of the School of
Medicine present at each session in high schools to field questions the athletes are not
comfortable with. By providing evidenced based medical knowledge and best
practice guidelines for teams, the School of Medicine will ensure only factual and
relevant information is taught to the high school athletes.

(3) The Queens University Gael football program

The beauty of athletics is optimized when athletes take some of their time to go
back and give to the local community. Experienced, knowledgeable and passionate,
CESAP hope to utilize the services of varsity football players to run the heads up
tackling and blocking drills on the field in order to work on fundamental football
skills. This partnership with athletes provides opportunities for them to learn more
about the current ideas surrounding head injuries in football while creating strong
bonds within the local football community of Kingston. Furthermore, CESAPs
structure naturally establishes mentoring opportunities for athletes as they work with
the youth who tend to have many questions regarding collegiate athletics. Youth and

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 high-school players get to learn and interact with the ones they look up to while
competing and bettering themselves as football athletes.

B. Information consumers
(1) Youth/High school football players
The players are CESAPs number one priority. We believe that knowledge is
power and that safety is necessary for young football players to develop into the elite
athletes they are striving to become. With the help of dedicated graduate students and
passionate varsity collegiate football players, CESAP will provide players with new
skill-sets and information that will allow them to perform at optimal levels on the
field while playing in a safer way.

(2) Youth/High school coaches and staff

Coaches are the key to success. They coach, mentor and supervise the players
more than anybody else. Given such constant interactions with the players, coaches
need to understand the risks that accompany concussive injuries and be aware of the
action plan regarding the post-injury steps and symptoms management.

(3) Youth/High school parents

Informing parents is essential. Supporters, caregivers and number one fans,
parents deserve to be informed about the risks of playing football. With that being
said, they also need to understand the beauty of the sport and its positive impacts on
youth and high school players. They are at the frontline of the recovery process as
they assist their child throughout the return to play process. CESAP hopes to have
short introductory football clinics for any newcomers to the sport as well as general
information sessions regarding concussions and post-injury symptoms management.

V. Outreach Methods

CESAP intends to use local newspapers and media, including the student-run Queens
Journal as well as the Queens Gazette in order to access free publicity within the community of
Kingston. Once approved, leaders of CESAP will be contacting youth and high-school football
programs to seek interest in the program. Other types of social media and outreach tools, such as
Facebook, Twitter (@cesap100) and Instagram will also contribute in spreading the word about
the new availability of CESAP.

VI. Estimated Program Timeline

The CESAP program hopes to offer afternoon-long clinics where players and coaches are
first briefed on concussive injuries, equipment fitting, and the importance of safe football.

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Following the tutorials, all will be hitting the field for approximately 2 hours of work on
different position-specific football drills focusing on heads up football and basic
tackling/blocking fundamentals. Following practice, information sessions on concussions will be
offered for interested parents (approximately 30 minutes max.) as well as consulting with the
coaches and athletic staff if needed.

Once approved, CESAP aims to start offering clinics in the spring of 2016 prior to the start of
spring football camps. Such timeline allows for preparation of the clinics, recruitment of the
presenters and athletes as well as purchasing of the required equipment. Football players
typically start their season in mid-August, which then lasts until the end of November. With
more flexibility and free time in the spring, CESAP could be launched efficiently and off a
strong entry into the Kingston community.

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VII. Spokespersons and Responsibilities

Party involved Responsibilities

CESAP (leading team)
CNS NOP (Neuroscience
Program)
Gaels varsity football coaching staff
Gaels varsity football athletes
Queens Advancement Office
Coordination of events
Outreach initiatives/recruitment of
youth/high-school program
Recruitment of players and staff
Outreach Neuro-ambassadors (student teacher for
concussion clinics)
Collaboration/validation on material
presented
Funding
Provision of football athletes (to help
teach tackling/blocking clinics)
Potential provision of some equipment
to facilitate football drills
Potential coaches visit to field day
Offensive players: Responsible for
design of head up blocking drills geared
towards OL/TE/RB/WR/SB
Defensive players: Responsible for
design of heads up tackling drills geared
towards DL/LB/DB/S
Potential funding through outreach
opportunities
Connection to alumni network for
potential funding

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References
1. Signoretti, S., Lazzarino, G., Tavazzi, B. & Vagnozzi, R. The pathophysiology of
concussion. PM R 3, S359S368 (2011).
2. Langlois, J., Rutland-Brown, W. & Thomas, K. Traumatic brain injury in the
United States: Emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. 68
(2004).
3. Guskiewicz, K. K. M. et al. Cumulative effects associated with recurrent
concussion in collegiate football players: the NCAA Concussion Study. J. Am.
Med. Assoc. 290, 254955 (2003).
4. Pardini, J. E. et al. Postconcussive symptoms are associated with compensatory
cortical recruitment during a working memory task. Neurosurgery 67, 10201027
(2010).
5. Pellman, E. J., Viano, D. C., Tucker, A. M., Casson, I. R. & Waeckerle, J. F.
Concussion in Professional Football: Reconstruction of Game Impacts and Injuries.
Neurosurgery 53, 796 (2003).
6. Swartz, E. E. et al. Early Results of a Helmetless-Tackling Intervention to
Decrease Head Impacts in Football Players. J. Athl. Train. 51, 68 (2015).

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