Winchester Youth Football Programs Host Concussion Awareness Clinic

On Tuesday evening, July 26 the Winchester Pop Warner and Sachem Youth Football & Cheerleading programs co-sponsored a concussion awareness clinic. The clinic was held at and was open to all members of the youth football and high school coaching staffs.

The featured guest speaker at the clinic was Chris Nowinski. Mr. Nowinski is a former all-Ivy League Harvard football player and WWE professional wrestler.

He currently serves as the President of the Sports Legacy Institute, which is dedicated to furthering sports-related brain injury research and awareness and improving the safety of all contact sports.

Mr. Nowinski’s work in the field of concussion research and advocacy has made him a sought-after voice for awareness. He has written several articles for media such as SportsIllustrated.com and the New England Hockey Journal, and he is frequently quoted in publications like the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today and the Boston Globe.

The clinic provided facts and information on concussions and steps that coaches and athletes can take to reduce the risk of concussions in contact sports.

Brandon Bergstrom of the Winchester Pop Warner organization was thrilled to see his coaches taking advantage of the opportunity.

”Every one of our coaches attended the clinic," Bergstrom said. "As a program, we’re committed to providing our kids a safe and fun environment in which they can build and develop as teammates and athletes.

"To do so, you need a great group of volunteers. We’re fortunate to have a group of coaches who donate a tremendous amount of time and fully understand that the kids’ safety is first priority.”

"We are always looking at ways to improve our knowledge as coaches with the goal of providing the best experience for our members," said Paul Manganaro, head coach of Sachem Youth Football.

"We strive to give each young person in our program the opportunity to develop self-esteem and pride in there school and community while developing there skills in the sport of football and cheerleading in a safe and fun environment. This clinic provided a wealth of knowledge to our entire staff."