Concussion program will test 1M youngsters

Two locally based giants in their respective industries are teaming to provide free baseline concussion testing and education to one million young athletes.

Dick's Sporting Goods and ImPACT Applications — the latter created a leading computerized concussion testing system used throughout all levels of sports — have teamed for the Protecting Athletes through Concussion Education (PACE) program.

It's the largest program of its kind, said Dr. Mark Lovell, who retired as head of the UPMC Sports Concussion Clinic on July 1 and serves as CEO of Oakland-based ImPACT.

"Pittsburgh has always been the Mecca for concussion (treatment)," Lovell said. "What we want to do is make it safer for (youths) to play sports because the PACE program is a wrap-around educational program in addition to the testing."

About 3.8 million recreation and sports-related concussions occur nationally every year, most coming among youths, according to the Journal of American Academy Pediatrics.

Findlay-based Dick's, the nation's largest full-line sporting-goods retailer, will fund PACE by donating $1 to the program for each pair of athletic shoes purchased in its 449 U.S. stores or online through Sept. 12. The company also will pledge $1 for consumers who post about PACE on its Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #DSPGPACE.

Former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis will serve as the face of the campaign.

"When I heard the number (of concussions), that really did surprise me," Bettis said. "You don't really expect it to be that many.

"And you recognize it is a high number and how important it is for kids and parents to understand the educational aspect of dealing with concussions. That's not to say these could have been prevented, but the more you know about concussions, the more treatable they are and the more you can prevent it from becoming a major problem in a child's life."

Lovell said attention on concussions is at an all-time high because of media reports about potential long-term damage by head injuries. Also, he cited concussions to famous athletes such as the Penguins' Sidney Crosby, who has not been cleared for contact since he was diagnosed with his first concussion Jan. 6.

Crosby, cleared by UPMC's Dr. Michael Collins to resume regular offseason workouts, currently is engaging in on-ice workouts near his offseason home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Penguins have set a timetable to clear Crosby for contact when training camp opens in mid-September.

Lovell lauded a joint initiative by UPMC and the Penguins Foundation. The Heads Up program is providing free baseline testing and concussion education to local youth hockey players.

The PIHL, the state's governing body for high school hockey, has made participation in the program mandatory for players, head coaches and referees for the upcoming season.

Though not affiliated with PACE, Penguins Foundation president Dave Soltesz said he is encouraged that baseline testing and concussion education is available for athletes involved in other youth sports.

"The Penguins are very pleased with the reaction we've received from the local youth hockey community about our Heads Up program, and since May we've baseline-tested 1,100 youth hockey players," he said. "We always were hopeful that this would spread across other sports and continue to educate young people and their families about concussions and safety."

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