Last season, the boys’ soccer team at Wilsonville High School was plagued by a series of concussions that attributed to their team not making the playoffs. The concussions all occurred during the game and were caused by a variety of different plays and events.

When speaking to head coach Ian Reschke about the issue, he said that he believed that it was just a series of unlucky situations rather than it being part of a larger issue. He mentioned one concussion that was particularly unlucky which was in the last five seconds of a game versus Sandy the ball was rocketed off a player’s face causing a concussion.

Then he had a player who took a shoulder to the head, but re-entered the game after being cleared by the trainer only to get hit in the head again this time by the soccer ball. Both of these players were lost for the season.

Coach Reschke also explained, “The game after that we had another athlete get a concussion in similar circumstances. Never had seen that happen before in my career.”

In addition, he believes that the high number of concussions was a fluke, but he also said that there is more awareness about brain damage that has caused people like him to be more aware.

On another note, these concussions affect the athletes off the field as well. For example, Ryan McCord, one of the players to suffer a concussion, said that it made learning and focusing much more difficult for him.

Finally, when asked if the team or program would do anything differently this year regarding concussions, Reschke replied that it is nearly impossible to prevent these situations, but he is ultra sensitive and aware of any head injury to his players.