We've got a little bit of sports news for you now. If you're a soccer fan or player, listen up! U.S. Soccer officials have banned heading for youth athletes. For those who don't know, that's when you drive the ball forward, using your head.
Officials say this is to help protect against concussions. A concussion is a brain injury resulting from a blow to the head.
New soccer rules will ban players 10 and younger from heading during games and in practices. Heading will be allowed in practices only, for the 11 to 13 year old age group. The new rules go into effect at the beginning of next year.
In soccer, concussions happen more frequently when players run into each other. Still, experts say that by removing heading, the risk for a concussion-like injury decreases. Symptoms of a concussion include changes in vision, a headache, dizziness and memory loss.
That brings us to this week's survey question. We're curious, do you know someone who has suffered a concussion? Maybe a teammate, or your brother or sister... or have you had a concussion yourself? Let us know and we'll show the results on the next show.
Instructional Links
Website Article: Neuroscience for Kids, Soccer and the Brain, Heading for Trouble?
https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/soccer.html
PDF: Mayo Clinic: Concussion