The quarterback for Morgan Academy, a high school in Selma, Alabama, died after suffering a traumatic brain injury in the opening football game.

The 16-year-old junior was airlifted to a hospital in Birmingham after being injured in the third quarter of the football game on Friday, August 23, 2024.

The director of the Alabama Independent Schools Association (AISA) posted on the AISA Facebook page that the high school student had died the next day. The student's parents confirmed their son had passed away.

Marty Roney "Alabama high school football player dies after suffering head injury during game" www.montgomeryadvertiser.com (Aug. 26, 2024).

Commentary

A 2019 study of concussion rates among high school athletes found that football had the highest concussion rates, with a rate of 39.07 concussions per 10,000 exposures during competition. Melissa Jenco "Study: Concussion rates in high school football games rising" publications.aap.org (Oct. 15, 2019).

The treatment received by the student who passed from a concussion after suffering the blow that led to the concussion is not known.

However, this tragedy is a reminder to schools of the need of a healthcare professional, such as a doctor, or other professional, trained in the signs of traumatic brain injury and what to do if a student shows signs on-site during all practices and competitions. The healthcare professional must have the authority to pull a player from a game or practice for health and safety reasons without repercussions. 

During games and practices, schools should also have a plan that makes certain first responders are close to assist in case of medical emergency.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides online concussion training and fact sheets for school professionals and nurses. "HEADS UP to Schools: Online Concussion Training" www.cdc.gov.

School administrators, coaches, parents, employers, employees, and student athletes can all be involved in helping prevent the occurrence of brain and spinal injuries.

Here are concussion prevention steps:
 

• A written concussion prevention policy should include a commitment to employee/student safety, information about brain and spinal injuries, and a checklist for determining when employees/students can safely return to work/play following an injury.
   
• Management, coaches, employees, student athletes, and their parents should review and sign your concussion prevention policy. For student athletes and their parents, the policy should be signed at the start of each season.
   
• Have health care professionals, knowledgeable in brain and spinal injuries, available during practices and games to respond to student athlete head injuries.
   
• Create a concussion action plan including the steps to take if any employee/student experiences an injury to the head or spine and a procedure for assessing with a health care professional when an employee/student can return to work/play.
   
• Consider conducting pre-season baseline testing of cognitive functioning for all student athletes that can be used for comparison following a possible brain or spinal injury.
   
• Emphasize safety during work, practices and games, making sure employees and students who are athletes always use well maintained and properly fitting protective equipment.