Maryland HC Mike Locksley's son featured in NYT Piece on CTE and Football
The New York Times has an audio-visual feature on the human cost of the sport we love. Mike Locksley had a son who died amid likely CTE related behavioral changes. Consider the effects on kids who never made it to 11/25/23, and be thankful for your health when eating your Turkey next Thursday.
They Started Playing Football as Kids, and Died Before 30 With C.T.E.
After the Loss of a Son, a Football Coach Confronts a Terrible Truth
November 17th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
Finally. Something uplifting to get our minds off this signgate tragedy.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:30 PM ^
Jesus no kidding. Now I'm REALLY gonna start drinking.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:32 PM ^
That piece is brutal. Have a son who is demanding to be allowed to play tackle football right now.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
Increasingly parents are going to say no to this option. When CTE is hitting young kids, it's hard to justify...
November 17th, 2023 at 3:42 PM ^
What gives me greatest pause is the fact that it's affecting kids who don't plan on going any further than high school ball.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:49 PM ^
The more we learn about CTE, the more it becomes clear that if contact sports survive, they're going to have to look very different in the future.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^
I agree and it's not just CTE which is much more serious, but it's other issues as well. If I had to do it all over again, I would've steered my son away from football. He's had procedures to clean out scar tissue from a shoulder injury and still bothers him at 30, and my nephew has blood clots from a bad leg injury. These were freak accidents but they happen when you play a violent game.
Very difficult to justify if you're not that 1% who make it big. I love football, but when it's your family it's a tough decision.
November 17th, 2023 at 5:59 PM ^
0.1 %
November 17th, 2023 at 3:49 PM ^
I dont see it being beneficial to hit until high school really. If I were to let my kid play at some point.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:59 PM ^
My own son, who just transferred from art school (singer) to the regular neighborhood high that has put kids in the league is pissed at us for not forcing him to play team sports when he was younger (and not interested.) Since he's into lifting, he was recruited for the cheer team, where ironically, one of their recent practices was cancelled because a few of the kids were out due to concussions.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:07 PM ^
damned if you do, damned if you don't
November 17th, 2023 at 4:07 PM ^
Don't do it man, not worth it. I played for 8 years. No CTE that I know of, though I know I had numerous concussions over the years. Worst for me was the many rolled ankles, such that I can't move my right ankle forward past a 90 degree angle now which causes me to walk weird which caused issues with my knees, hips, and lower back now. I walk like a 70 year hold man at times despite only being 40.
I don't totally regret playing, but definitely to a large degree. In retrospect I wish I would've focused more on one of my other interests instead.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:24 PM ^
I'm so glad my kids didn't want to play contact sports. My son quit both football and hockey when they became tackle and with checking, respectively.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
When my son was a freshman in college, one of his teammates committed suicide first semester. I didn't know the family and my son didn't really know the teammate yet since he was so new, but apparently he had had a couple of concussions. They played baseball, not football, so the concussions weren't sport-related but the family never knew whether those had contributed to the suicide. Everyone was caught off guard when it happened, he wasn't being treated for depression, though he apparently had had some mood swings after the concussions. Losing a child must be absolutely devastating. My heart goes out to the Locksley family.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:50 PM ^
I'm really hoping that the key is identifying a concussion when it happens and treating it properly under the guidance of a qualified physician; concussions aren't really a problem as long as they are treated properly and given time to heal.
I say this, because my teenage son is coming off concussion #5 are we're getting into _those_ discussions now.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
Five concussions for a teenager? Jesus fuck!
November 17th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^
My daughter got a concussion in 8th grade, fell off a table she was standing on and hit her head. She had to go to physical therapy for the headaches, which lasted a while, and she had sensitivity to light for about 6 months. I hope your son gets whatever treatment he needs.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:09 PM ^
You’re absolutely right that the prognosis following a concussion is overall quite good. The brain is excellent at recovering from trauma.
Unfortunately, we also know that with each concussion recovery is slower than with the preceding one. Remember that concussion is a (mild) form of TBI. CTE is essentially the result of hundreds of concussions cumulatively causing irreversible brain damage.
As a Michigan and football fan, I will continue rooting hard for my team every Saturday.
As a neurologist and a dad, there is no way my kids will ever play football. Or hockey. Or boxing, obvi. Other sports will be decided on a case by case basis. I vote for chess.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:37 PM ^
Pretty heartbreaking story. George Atkinson and both his twins ... tough to take.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:55 PM ^
Saw that article today along with videos. I love love football but this piece makes me think of this is something we should keep doing. I could see a future of essentially 7 on 7 type play.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:05 PM ^
Scary and sobering subject matter.
Decades ago, I got a concussion in the second quarter of a very competitive high school football game but stayed in (different era). When we watched the film the next day, at times it was as if I was watching a game on TV, because I truly didn't remember a lot of it.
Anyway, we won.