This Week In High School Sports: 3/15/22
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
March 15, 2022
This week's edition highlights memorable finishes from the Hockey, Gymnastics and Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Finals, including a historic diving performance from East Grand Rapids.
The 5-minute program each week includes feature stories from around the state from the MHSAA’s Second Half or network affiliates, along with "Be The Referee," a 60-second look at the fine art of officiating.
"This Week in High School Sports" is powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury.
Listen to this week's show by Clicking Here.
Previous editions
March 8: Individual Wrestling, Competitive Cheer, Bowling Finals in review – Listen
March 2: Team Wrestling, Skiing Finals in review – Listen
Feb. 22: Battle of the Fans X champion, national honors for Michigan ADs – Listen
Feb. 15: High-scoring Liedel family, second-generation standouts at Hartland – Listen
Feb. 8: Winter postseason schedule, Fowler/Portland St. Patrick girls hoops rivalry – Listen
Feb. 1: Michigan Power Ratings, remembering Jackson's Charles Janke – Listen
Jan. 25: Michigan coaches honored nationally, Port Huron Northern basketball – Listen
Jan. 18: Midland Dow girls basketball, retiring coaches on all-time wins lists – Listen
Jan. 11: Battle of the Fans X "Challenge Round," officiating on the islands – Listen
Jan. 4: Onsted boys basketball, Oxford Strong – Listen
Dec. 15: Winter championship calendar, KLAA/MIHL Memorial Showcase – Listen
Dec. 8: 2021 Bush Award honorees, remembering Tom Rashid – Listen
Dec. 1: 11-Player Football Finals review – Listen
Nov. 23: Volleyball, LP Girls Swimming & Diving, 8-Player Football Finals review – Listen
Nov. 16: Lower Peninsula Cross Country continued, weekend preview – Listen
Nov. 9: Lower Peninsula Cross Country, Boys Soccer Finals review – Listen
Nov. 2: Title IX at 50 celebration, Fall championship broadcasts – Listen
Oct. 27: Upper Peninsula Cross Country Finals review, soccer/volleyball playoff update – Listen
Oct. 20: Lower Peninsula Girls Golf & Boys Tennis Finals review – Listen
Oct. 13: Middle school/junior high cross country Regionals, football playoff selection – Listen
Oct. 6: Upper Peninsula girls tennis champions, football broadcast update – Listen
Sept. 29: Girls swimming & diving "Meet of Champions," Schoolcraft's star kicker – Listen
Sept. 22: Spartan Invitational "elite" races, John U. Bacon's "Let Them Lead" – Listen
Sept. 15: Volleyball powers face off, Tiger Teusink's tennis legacy – Listen
Sept. 8: Fall sports rules changes, Adrian Lenawee Christian inspiration – Listen
Sept. 1: Boys soccer seeding process, Beaver Island athletics – Listen
Aug. 25: Return of Fall sports, “enhanced strength-of-schedule” football playoff format – Listen
Concussion Care: Signs & Symptoms to Watch
October 27, 2020
Henry Ford Health System
When you experience a blow to the head, knowing whether you've suffered a concussion isn't always clear cut.
Head injuries have a range of physical, psychological and intellectual effects — and only a small number of people lose consciousness.
"It's critical for parents, coaches, players and trainers to recognize the potential signs and symptoms of a concussion," says Jeffrey Kutcher, M.D., a sports neurologist who treats athletes at the Henry Ford Kutcher Clinic for Concussion and Sports Neurology. "The basic rule is that a concussion can affect any aspect of brain function."
Signs of Concussion
The Latin root of the word "concussion" means "to shake violently" — which makes sense. Concussions happen when there's a combination of movement and impact. So, any injury that involves a hit to the head — a fall, collision or hard hit by a heavy object — could cause one. So could a hit to the body that causes the head to move quickly.
"But every brain injury is different," Dr. Kutcher says. "Some symptoms show up right away while others develop gradually over days."
Here are common concussion symptoms to watch for — both immediately following a head injury and in the hours and days after:
Physical Concussion Symptoms
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Difficulty with balance
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Light sensitivity
- Nausea
- Numbness or tingling
- Sensitivity to sound
- Visual problems
- Vomiting
Emotional Concussion Symptoms
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability
- Mood swings
Cognitive Concussion Symptoms
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling "slow" or "foggy"
- Memory problems
Diagnosing Concussion: Getting It Right
One reason concussions are frequently misdiagnosed is because they're assessed on the field or courtside during game play or practice. Coaches, trainers and parents often make lightning fast decisions about whether symptoms, such as headache, nausea and light sensitivity, are signs of concussion.
"Unfortunately, it’s more complicated than completing a concussion checklist. Everyone — and every concussion — is different. So, observers shouldn’t be diagnosing a head injury on the spot, but rather making a triage decision for safety. They should leave the diagnosis to the medical professionals," Dr. Kutcher says. In fact, those in-the-moment assessments are wrong about half of the time.
People should focus instead on getting immediate, emergency care for anyone who displays the following signs and symptoms right after a hit:
- Difficulty walking
- Weakness on one or both sides
- Not waking up
- Repeated vomiting
- Persistent confusion
- Seizures
- Unconsciousness
No matter how hard (or lightly) you think you've been hit, it's important to take head injury symptoms seriously. Even a seemingly minor blow could have a major impact. A complete evaluation by a medical professional will not only determine whether you have a concussion, it can also identify more serious, or even life-threatening, concerns.
"In every case, medical professionals are better equipped to assess the extent of the damage if you have a comprehensive baseline evaluation on file," Dr. Kutcher says. This thorough evaluation with a sports neurologist, including a complete family and neurological history, can act as a critical point of reference when trainers and medical professionals are trying to diagnose or manage a concussion.
Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher is a sports neurologist and the medical director of the Henry Ford Kutcher Clinic for Concussion and Sports Neurology.
Want to learn more? Henry Ford Health System sports medicine experts are treating the whole athlete, in a whole new way. From nutrition to neurology, and from injury prevention to treatment of sports-related conditions, they can give your athlete a unique game plan.
Visit henryford.com/sports or call (313) 972-4216 for an appointment within 24 business hours.