MLL will host Concussion Awareness Week June 5-11 to promote player safety and educate coaches, players and fans
(BOSTON) – Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced today it will partner with the Concussion Legacy Foundation to host the first ever MLL Concussion Awareness Week June 5-11, which will be celebrated at five different MLL home stadiums. Throughout the week, the organizations, teams and players will engage fans and the lacrosse community through social media and events to educate on the seriousness of concussions.
The announcement marks a continuation of a strategic partnership between MLL and the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a Boston-based nonprofit committed to solving the concussion crisis through research, policy and education. The partnership highlights the importance of player safety, and this year again includes concussion education presentations provided by the Foundation for each MLL team.
“We pride ourselves on having the most progressive player safety program in professional sports, and our continued partnership with the Concussion Legacy Foundation is paramount to that mission,” said MLL Commissioner David Gross. “With Concussion Awareness Week, we will use our platform and the Foundation’s unparalleled expertise to raise awareness of the importance of concussion prevention and management.”
The Concussion Legacy Foundation was founded in 2007 by Chris Nowinski and Dr. Robert Cantu to solve the concussion crisis by advancing the study, treatment and prevention of the effects of brain trauma in athletes and other at-risk groups. MLL first began its partnership with the Foundation in 2013 with the development of a comprehensive concussion program focusing on research, education, prevention, diagnosis and management, with innovations such as the concussion check and the concussion caretaker model.
“We are thrilled to partner with Major League Lacrosse for Concussion Awareness Week,” said Concussion Legacy Foundation executive director Chris Nowinski. “Concussion awareness is a shared responsibility, and this is a great opportunity to partner together and promote prevention and proper management of concussions for our country’s fastest-growing sport.”
Concussions and their serious consequences have become a national issue given how frequently they occur in sports. MLL has displayed a continued effort to take the essential actions to protect the health of its athletes, including becoming one of the first organizations to implement a league-wide baseline neurocognitive test in 2011 to determine an athlete’s ability to return to play after suffering a concussion. MLL understands that concussions can be life-altering, and continuously looks for ways to implement policies to ensure the safety of players while also promoting the safest version of the game so it can truly be a lifelong sport.
In addition to the Concussion Awareness Week programming, MLL has named the Concussion Legacy Foundation its 2016 All-Star Game charity beneficiary. The 2016 All-Star Game will take place Saturday, July 9 at Cal State Fullerton, in Orange County, California. For more information on the game, click here.
MLL Concussion Awareness Week Game Schedule:
6/9: Ohio Machine @ Charlotte Hounds, 7:30 p.m. EST
6/11: Charlotte Hounds @ Boston Cannons, 7:00 p.m. EST
6/11: New York Lizards @ Atlanta Blaze, 7:00 p.m. EST
6/11: Denver Outlaws @ Florida Launch, 7:30 p.m. EST
6/11: Rochester Rattlers @ Chesapeake Bayhawks, 7:30 p.m. EST
About the Concussion Legacy Foundation:
The Concussion Legacy Foundation (formerly the Sports Legacy Institute) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Boston. It was founded in 2007 by Robert Cantu, MD, and Christopher Nowinski to solve the concussion crisis by advancing the study, treatment and prevention of the effects of brain trauma in athletes and other at-risk groups. The Concussion Legacy Foundation is a collaborator with Boston University’s CTE Program. For more information, please visit ConcussionFoundation.org.
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About Major League Lacrosse:
Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston. Major League Lacrosse commenced play in June 2001 and will embark on its sixteenth season. MLL has continued to lead the sport of lacrosse into the mainstream of competitive team sports. The league is made up of nine teams: The Atlanta Blaze, Boston Cannons, Charlotte Hounds, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Denver Outlaws, Florida Launch, New York Lizards, Ohio Machine and Rochester Rattlers.
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