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As we wrote last week, media outlets continue to push the NFL to address head injuries—concussions, mainly—and the effects they’re having on athletes’ quality of life. At the state Capitol today, a Senate committee will consider a proposed state law that would require youth coaches to learn about the debilitating and possibly deadly injuries, reports the Denver Post.
The Jake Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act—named for a 14-year-old football player who died in 2004 as a result of a concussion—would make training mandatory for all coaches of athletes age 11 to 19 so they are able to recognize the symptoms of a concussion and act accordingly. Coaches would be required to immediately remove any athlete from play if a concussion is suspected, and would be provided “limited immunity” from lawsuits if they follow the correct procedures. The concussions issue came to light after players such as former New England Patriot and University of Colorado standout Ted Johnson began speaking out.