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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2019)
8 Wednesday, April 10, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon The Center keeps Sisters kids safe in sports By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief High school athletics can be one of the most beneficial aspects of a student9s educa- tion 4 but injury can cloud the experience. In recent years as coaches, medical profes- sionals, student-athletes and parents have all grown more aware of the potentially life-altering impact of con- cussions, they have made moves to improve students9 safety. Last Friday, The Center Foundation hosted its sec- ond annual Blue Jean Ball fundraiser at Tetherow in Bend, raising tens of thou- sands of dollars to support The Center9s program of concussion baseline testing, injury assessment, and the stationing of qualified athletic trainers at Central Oregon9s high schools, including Sisters. The Blue Jean Ball fea- tured a live and silent auc- tion and paddle raise with a Western theme accompanied by the Central Oregon band Dry Canyon Stampede. A cadre of athletes from Sisters High School turned out to support the event. Through the Center 9s program, at the beginning of each sport season, ath- letes are given computerized Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), which establishes a baseline of their normal mental function. In the event of a concussion, research-based protocols guide care and treatment. A defined set of conditions must be met before an athlete can return to the field or court. It is especially critical that an athlete not return to play until he or she has healed, so as to avoid Second Impact Syndrome, which can lead to significant brain injury and impairment. (See https:// www.centerfoundation.org/ concussion-management.) An Oregon law named Jenna9s Law in honor of standout Sisters athlete Jenna Sneva, who suffered severely from multiple concussions, formally legislated against immediate return to play after a concussion. This has report- edly resulted in a marked decrease in the number of students developing Second Impact Syndrome. <The ultimate goal is for no child to ever have a sec- ondary concussion, because that9s when it can become really dangerous and poten- tially fatal,= Sonja Donohue, The Center Foundation9s executive director, told The Nugget. The frontline of defense against concussion is provided by athletic trainers. Stuart Schmidt is the supervi- sor of the athletic trainers in the Central Oregon schools. He was the trainer at Sisters High School from 2008 to 2010. Schmidt noted that, while football obviously carries the highest degree of concus- sion risk, an athlete can take an elbow on the basketball court or have a collision or hit the turf hard on the soc- cer pitch. A wrestler could be concussed in a fall or a vol- leyball player slammed on the hardwood. Trainers are on hand to assess the situation and act as needed. If a player goes down and doesn9t get up, or gets up wobbly, if they9re not quite right on the sideline, the trainer has the background, training and experience to make an evaluation 4 and to act. <They9ll do a full evalu- ation to determine if they have a concussion,= Schmidt explained. If there9s any suspicion that there9s a concussion, the trainer will pull the athlete from the game for further testing. The trainer 4 not a coach or the player 4 makes the call. <The athletic trainer has the autonomy to make the call PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS Athletic trainer Alex Walker has built a strong relationship with student athletes at Sisters High School. Several Outlaws turned out for The Center Foundation’s fundraiser to support concussion testing programs in schools. whether the person should be removed and cannot continue playing,= Schmidt said Alex Walker is in her fourth year as the Outlaws9 athletic trainer. She works at The Center in the mornings putting casts on arms and legs, then she heads out to Sisters for each afternoon9s practices and contests. Four years of five-days-a- week presence makes Walker an integral part of the ath- letes9 support at Sisters High School. <You really get to know the kids,= Walker told The See CONCUSSIONS on page 26 Easter Brunch Buffet BOOK YOUR FREE INTRO SESSION TODAY! Y Memberships CrossFit starting at Weightlifting $39/month! Cardio • Powerlifting g Barre • Yoga • Pilates s Sauna • Strongman Bodybuilding 24 HR. ACCESS! Call 541-699-7800 or email coach@level5fi t.com www.level5fi t.com | Located in Ray’s Shopping Center Early Shoppers Get th e Bes t Selection ! SHOWROOM BARGAIN BIN $ $ $ EAL DEAL DEAL D Th Through hr ou ugh April l 17 1 7 • 7:30 7 :30 30 a.m.-4 a m -4 4 p.m. p m Mon.-Fri. M o n -F F ri Fr 541-549-4349 260 N. 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