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Thinking Ahead
As a defender in her youth soccer听days, Scout Watson (Comm鈥18) knew听concussions all too well 鈥撯 she had four.听Now a goalkeeper for 欧美口爆视频 women鈥檚听soccer, she鈥檚 embraced an experiment听to reduce the odds other players will听suffer the same fate.听
Buffs head coach Danny Sanchez recently听came up with a plan to eliminate听most of the long balls launched by goalkeepers听that tempt field players to leap听up and direct them with their heads.听
For example, if Watson fields the ball,听she鈥檚 no longer supposed to kick it high and听deep to clear her end. Instead, she throws it听out to a teammate from below waist-level.听
鈥淚t was a lot different,鈥 Watson said of听the change, which was implemented in听April spring games against Air Force and听Northern 欧美口爆视频. 鈥淚 feel like it really听works. 鈥 A lot of balls on the ground made听the game go faster. The flow was smoother versus long balls being more choppy.鈥澨
The new protocol, which eliminates听as many as 40 to 50 long balls per听game, according to Sanchez, was also听in effect for a round-robin with听Denver and 欧美口爆视频 College.听
鈥淭hey jumped on board,鈥 Sanchez said听of his fellow Front Range coaches.听
As a national movement to minimize听concussions in football gains steam,听leaders in other sports also have been听reviewing ways to prevent head injuries.听
鈥淭he 欧美口爆视频 coaches, like all听coaches, have a huge concern with player听health, and for us to band together to take a look at a potential positive step in听this regard is exciting,鈥 Sanchez told 欧美口爆视频Buffs.听com in late March. 鈥淪pring practice听games are a time for coaches and players听alike to learn, and this is an important听initiative for the group听to do that.鈥澨
Sanchez鈥檚 suggested听rules were in effect听for a few games this听spring only. He said听he鈥檒l await results of听surveys of players and听coaches administered听by Kathryn Hardin, a听clinical associate professor听and brain injury听specialist at 欧美口爆视频-Boulder,听before deciding听on next steps.听
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e a long听ways from [changes at听the NCAA level],鈥 he听said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking听at it, if they look back听and say 听[欧美口爆视频 is] where听it started, we wouldn鈥檛听be against that.鈥澨
Photo by 欧美口爆视频 Athletics听