TSN - A researcher at Boston University says she has diagnosed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, in the brains of four former junior hockey players.
Neuropathologist Dr. Ann McKee made the diagnoses over the past two years. Each of the four former junior players – none of whom advanced to the National Hockey League – committed suicide before the age of 30, she said.
Dr. McKee said she couldn’t disclose the identities of the players with CTE without the permission of their families, so it’s not known who three of the players are or which leagues they played in – which could be any of dozens of disparate calibre across North America.
Wow, this is a massive story out of Boston University today. Four hockey players, under the age of 30, committed suicide and were now diagnosed with CTE. Horrific.
You have to immediately start to question not just the physicality, but the mindset that coincides with brutal "gladiator praising" sports in America. Such is the way in football and hockey, players are lauded for playing through pain and recovering early to help their team. IT NEEDS TO BE EMPHASIZED BY ATHLETIC TRAINERS THAT PLAYING THROUGH A CONCUSSION AND PLAYING THROUGH A SPRAINED ANKLE ARE SEPARATE THINGS ENTIRELY.
The idea of "playing through" in America is seriously impacting the youth who play the sport. You can make your jokes about "getting soft" or "weakening youth" by practicing medical caution all you want, but four kids killed themselves because their brains weren't right as a result of an activity they all had in common.
Smarten up.