A little more than three years ago, Carm Roda had a simple explanation of a concussion. "I thought it that was you got hit in the head and it hurts,'' says the youth sports director of the Westport Police Athletic League. He has learned a lot since that time, and Westport children are much better for it.
Roda has instituted mandatory concussion training for all coaches in Westport PAL programs. The PAL conducted a seminar on how to treat concussions Sunday at Saugatuck Elementary School. Westport's youth football program was the second in the country to make concussion training mandatory.
Roda is the driving force behind the training. A friend suggested a book to him about four years ago by Chris Nowinski, a former professional wrestler turned author who has studied head injuries. Reading the book by Nowinski, who spoke at Sunday's seminar, opened Roda's eyes. "Some of the things we did needed to be altered,'' Roda said.
All Westport PAL coaches go through concussion training once a year. Roda also invited parents to attend the seminars. Nowinski speaks to the Westport group four times a year. "All of our coaches are CPR and first aid certified,'' Roda says. "This is one more step that we take for the kids to develop a safe environment."
Roda goes the extra mile to ensure children's safety in other areas. The league repairs and reconditions equipment after each season. They also issue much of their own equipment to young athletes to make certain they are playing with proper protective gear. He says it costs PAL $35,000 a year for safety-related items, an average of $130 per child. Nearly 1,100 children participate in Westport PAL programs.
"I'm not afraid of education,'' Roda says. "I want us to make informed decisions. The most important thing is to protect the children we're coaching. They're our greatest assets."
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