Football season means concussion season for players

This will be the first regular football season under Erie County’s new Youth Concussion Law. Under the new law, each youth contact sports team must have an adult who has completed a free 20-minute online concussion training course.

Legislators Joseph Lorigo (Republican-District 10) and Patrick Burke (Democrat-District 7) co-sponsored the bipartisan law. But some are already looking to make changes.

At least two legislators want to change the law so it doesn't also apply to teams that travel to Erie County. They also want to drop T-ball and baseball from the list of sports.

Each year more than 3 million concussion cases are reported by doctors. A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head or a violent shaking of the head and body. It usually occurs among football players during tackles.

Doctors at DENT Neurologic Institute said concussions often happen to cheerleaders across Western New York. Many of them fall to the ground during pyramid stunts and jumps.

The legislature will hold a public hearing next Monday at 5:30pm in the legislature chambers. They will allow the public to voice their opinions about amending this new law.