Back during the 2012 spring sports season, then-freshman Stephen Bonacci suffered a severe concussion during a JV lacrosse game. He attained considerable brain damage and was unable to come back to school for the rest of the year. “For nearly three months I spent my days in a dark room in my basement. No sunlight, no TV, no social interaction. I felt like a lost a part of my identity,” he said.
Bonacci spent his summer at home finishing the ninth grade with help from his teachers. On Aug. 25, only ten days before the start of his sophomore year, he completed all his ninth grade courses.
Bonacci still suffers from concussion symptoms, having frequent memory issues and requiring special aid to succeed in school. “Sometimes I still get headaches, and my head feels like a balloon about to explode,” he said.
Concussions are a problem that plague almost all high school sports. FCPS is working to increase awareness about prevention, requiring all student athletes and their parents to complete a brief online course concerning concussions.
There are many methods that student athletes can use to decrease their chances of suffering a concussion, and making sure that one wears proper equipment is among the most important. According to Bonacci, had his lacrosse helmet fit him properly, he may not have suffered such severe symptoms.
The quality of equipment is also important; according to the Langley student activities department, athletic pads and helmets are sent back to their manufacturers every year to be refurbished. State policies require new equipment to be purchased every few years.
In the end, it is up to the athletes themselves to make sure they stay safe, by reporting any concussion-like symptoms and refraining from further athletic activity until recovered.