Fourth Down and Inches: Concussions and Football's Make-or-Break Moment

More than eight million American high school students play sports, but at what price? McClafferty focuses on football to discuss the serious and historically trivialized condition of concussion. Starting with football's beginnings in the late 1800s as a rugby spinoff, McClafferty details the game's early casualties (in 1909 twenty-eight football players died of head injuries); the controversy over its growing presence as a college sport; and how it survived challenges to become "firmly entrenched in American culture." She then goes on to cover the insidious nature of concussions (because they are invisible, they are difficult to diagnose and easy to underestimate); the neuroscience behind head trauma; and the growing awareness of the dangers of concussion. Throughout, she works hard to balance the value so many young people put on playing sports with the significant risks involved. As she tells more and more stories of individuals who died playing football or lived lives blighted by pain, drug addiction, and personality changes, however, it's difficult to remain neutral. The book's organization can be hard to follow at times, and some subjects are dropped rather abruptly, but this is an informative and useful book on a topic of crucial importance to young athletes. Back matter includes a list of concussion symptoms, how and when to safely return to play, meticulous source notes, bibliography, suggestions for further reading, and an index. martha v. parravano