If you are not familiar with TBI’s, here is what US Soccer has been teaching the coaches and referees over the last 5 years.

Posting this 72 hours after my likely mTBI.

Yes it is never fun to know what’s going on as it is happening to you, in the first person. It is helpful to have the knowledge to know what you are going through as it is part of the process. As soon as I hit the turf during the and realized I likely landed between my shoulder blades and head and the tuck and roll I would typically perform did not happen, I knew that I would need to be checked out before continuing with the game. If my tuck and roll went perfect, I likely would not have had an impact on my head or neck, but since I knew they actually made an impact with they synthetic surface it was time to take a quick evaluation.

Not all brain injuries happen the same way and in my case, not all brain injuries happen with what normally appears to look like a hit to the head. At real speed it likely was difficult to tell if my back, shoulders, neck, head or what hit the ground first. As of this morning, I can safely tell you my neck ROM is pretty good, but there is some stiffness and sore spots. I also have tender spots around my lats and shoulders. I’m sharing the tools that US Soccer gives players to use with the National Team and their medical staff to monitor players who have experienced a TBI. I’m sharing my initial and my most recent score. I realized as soon as I ended my first game that I needed to not work the late adult game I had in the evening. I completed this assessment after returning home, eating lunch and starting to hydrate after completing the match and approximately 3.8 miles. The irritability may be normal considering it was a “competetive league” game.

Is it the mulch or the lollipop leading to that stare? This photo occurred prior to Saturday’s game, but if I was staring at the trainer like this after my collision with the ground I definitely would not have been continuing the game.