During a high-school field-hockey game in September 2013, near her Virginia hometown, Brie Boothby was struck in the side of her head with an opponent’s stick. Boothby blacked out.
“The only thought in my mind was getting back in the game,” she told TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones. And despite her injury, the field-hockey player kept playing. “I thought I had to be tough. I thought I had to go back in because we were losing and I needed to support my team.”
That night, the 17-year-old felt nauseous, and began losing her memory. A trip to the doctor revealed devastating news: Boothby had sustained a serious concussion that left her with permanent brain injuries.
While this problem in youth sports has been well-publicized, new research found that many young athletes are still putting themselves at unnecessary risk.
