Theodore Roosevelt High School principal agrees with Omalu recommendation, but students continue to play football

Photo courtesy of http://roughriderathletics.net.

In Theodore Roosevelt High School’s last football game, Barberton High School defeated the Rough Riders in a 14-28 loss.

Yet, as the season progresses principal Dennis Love agrees with Dr. Bennet Omalu’s recommendation that high school students should not play football.

Reporters in a Computer Assisted Reporting class at Kent State University reached out to principals and school board presidents across Ohio requesting concussion policies, student/parent forms and a reaction to Omalu’s 2015 New York Times Op-Ed advising high school students not to play football to prevent "irreversible brain damage," better known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

Dennis Love, principal of
Theodore Roosevelt High School

Love disclosed he was a former football player and coach during the interview.

“Of course I would agree with what [Dr. Omalu is] saying, but what next then?” Love said.

Theodore Roosevelt High School follows head injury recommendations from the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). Following a head injury, parents receive home instructions and a notification sheet explaining the incident. They are offered two solutions in order for a student athlete to return to the sport.

A. The student needs a doctor’s release before being permitted to return to the field.

B. The student needs to be re-evaluated by the athletic trainer and Dr. Nilesh Shah, the team physician.

Additionally, the athlete and a parent or guardian must acknowledge receiving the Ohio Department of Health Concussion Information Sheet by signing the bottom of the form. The athletic department uses the SCAT3 concussion assessment tool for pre and post concussion testing as well.

On top of handouts and being provided with an athletics handbook, parents can attend an informational meeting held before the start of every football season. This year’s took place on Aug. 2.

Love feels, however, that despite the evidence presented by Omalu removing the program would cause more of an uproar. College football and the NFL continue to be two high rated sports. The 2015 Super Bowl alone garnered 114.4 million viewers, according to Sports Illustrated.

“It’s a tough thing, so I’d imagine a lot of principals feel that … you’re kind of damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” Love said. “Nobody wants to see anybody ever get hurt, but the reality is people will and people have died on the football field.”

While the information presented in Omalu’s Op-Ed is indisputably researched, Love said by getting involved with a sport “the risk is worth the reward,” even if it that means damaging a vital organ unable to regenerate.

Kent School Board President Marlene Dorsey declined to comment on this issue regarding student safety.

What I learned:

I learned not to accept everything that was said as useful information for the article. (Don't be a human microphone.) At points, my conversation with Mr. Love went on the verge of PR as he spoke about how talented the athletic department is. Mr. Love couldn't name any specific concussion cases and I realize I should have talked to the athletic director to get that information.