Valley Christian Drops Football as 2010 Season Starts

The Swank family of Spokane, Washington lost their son Drew last year as a result of the injuries he suffered on the football field.

At Valley Christian where he played his loss appears to have created too big of a chasm.

One they can not overcome at least this year.

Citing the fact that they did not have enough participation to field a team the administration announced yesterday that the school would not field a team this year.

Drew lost his life to a Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered last season while playing in an early season road game againstperennial powerhouse LaCrosse-Washtucna.

Swank fell victim to what is known as Second Impact Syndrome.

He was playing that fateful night with a concussion he received on September 18th, 2009 in a Friday Night game.

Despite the fact that the staff knew about his first concussion he was cleared by his family doctor.

Drew played the following Friday on September 25th in the Lacrosse-Washtucna game.

In that game he was hurt again but stayed in the action.

This led to another concussion which happened while his already bleeding brain was struggling to heal.

That blow touched off a chain of events that are too tragic to recount here again.

Drew died that Sunday following the game in a Spokane area hospital.

His death or the aftermath of it are not openly being linked to this decision.

Valley Christian Staff have not returned our last phone calls to them.

Despite what may appear obvious this is not something the Swank's wanted. Not at all.

"This was a surprise to us. We do not understand all the reasons nor have we been told. Our son Tim was registered to play and was ready to go," said Drew's Mother Patti Swank

Tim is going to be a freshmen and is proud of his brother and all he stood for.

"They had talked about this day. Playing together was something that they planned on. So Tim was planning to play and be there for the Team and Drew. That won't happen now."

Patti said that they were notified about a week ago that this decision was going to come.

Tim has found a home with Lakeland High School in Rathdrum, Idaho near the Swanks home.

"They were very gracious and took Tim in. This is not what he wanted but he is moving ahead," she concluded.

One thing that Lakeland has that Valley Christian did not is ImPACT Concussion Baseline Testing.

ImPACT does baseline testing that will document a players response times to stimuli before the season starts. This helps document what a players brain is capable of when not concussed.

Any player competing at a school with ImPACT who suffers a concussion or is suspected of having a concussion will not play until they have passed this baseline test at an equal level of brain function.

That test and a current battery of return to play indicators and full medical by an appropriate medical professional comprise the best standards for returning a player to the field.

Patti is grateful that Tim will have the benefit of that test as a tool to be used should he ever be injured.

It has been clearly stated by medical professionals that if Valley Christian had used the ImPACT Test Drew Swank would be alive today.

"There is no doubt about that," offered one local sports medicine doctor.

The ImPACT test had been offered free of charge to Valley Christian in 2008 and 2009.

They reportedly declined not seeing the value in it.

ImPACT is something schools in droves are taking notice of now. It works and is in use in every major sports league and in the military.

Thousands of High Schools use ImPACT which is now in it's 15th year as a tool.

The Swank's have maintained that they are big football fans and support the game; but only provided it is played correctly and that all proper protections are in place.

ImPACT is something they are passionate about now and something they want all parents and teams to use as a tool when an athlete is hurt.

The tragic story of Drew Swank is one that we as a society must not shy away from but rather embrace.

His death is in vane if not openly discussed and debated.

There is little doubt that his death is a big part of why the school has dropped football.

For now maybe that is the appropriate response given what has happened.

Drew was an amazing kid. Here is a glimpse into the story of the young man who gave it all to his team and to the game of football.

For more information about this article, please visit http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1120889

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