Deadly Hits

October 12, 2006, was crisp and clear in Seattle, Washington—a perfect day for football. Parents chatted in the stands as two middle school teams faced off on the field. As always, 13-year-old Zackery Lystedt was a star player on his Tahoma Junior High team. He’d already made two big tackles that afternoon, helping put Tahoma in the lead.

Late in the game’s first half, Zack tackled a runner rushing toward the end zone. As both boys tumbled to the ground, Zack’s head smacked against the turf.

The other player quickly scrambled to his feet.

Zack did not.

Zack lay on his back, clutching his helmet and writhing in pain. His coach ran to him while his fellow players took a knee and waited for their fallen teammate to get up. Seconds ticked by. The crowd remained silent.

Finally, Zack sat up. Cheers erupted from the stands as Zack stood and walked slowly off the field. His teammates slapped his back. Zack sat down to rest, and the game went on—football as usual.

But something unusual was happening inside Zack’s head. Zack had suffered a concussion, a kind of brain injury. When his head hit the ground, his brain shook violently against the inside of his skull. Sitting on the bench with his teammates, Zack seemed OK. But billions of cells in his brain had been injured by the impact.

October 12, 2006, was crisp and clear in Seattle, Washington. It was a perfect day for football. Parents watched as two middle school teams faced off on the field. Zackery Lystedt, 13, was a star player on his Tahoma Junior High team. He’d made two big tackles that afternoon, helping put Tahoma in the lead.

Late in the game’s first half, Zack tackled a runner rushing toward the end zone. Both boys fell to the ground. Zack’s head smacked against the turf.

The other boy quickly got up.

Zack did not.

Zack lay on his back, clutching his helmet and writhing in pain. His coach ran to him. His fellow players took a knee and waited for Zack to get up. Seconds ticked by. The crowd remained silent.

Finally, Zack sat up. People cheered as he walked slowly off the field. His teammates slapped his back. Zack sat down to rest. The game went on—football as usual.

But something unusual was happening inside Zack’s head. Zack had suffered a concussion, a kind of brain injury. When his head hit the ground, his brain shook violently against the inside of his skull. Sitting on the bench, Zack seemed OK. But billions of cells in his brain had been injured by the impact.

Today, some 2.8 million kids in the U.S. play football. For many of them, football is more than a fun and exhilarating game. It’s a way to build discipline and character. It can also be a way to pay for college, and for the lucky few, a ticket to some of the best schools in America. But over the past decade, America’s favorite sport has come under intense scrutiny for the high rate of brain injuries among players of all ages.

From the dawn of football in the late 1800s until very recently, knocks to the head were considered just another part of the game. Tough guys “played through the pain.” After a hit to the head, many returned to the field with blurred vision, aching temples, and stumbling steps. Toughing it out was seen as a sign of strength and loyalty to teammates. Over the years, this attitude trickled down to even the youngest players.

Zack had grown up watching some of his favorite football stars treat their heads like battering rams, colliding with their opponents with ferocious force. Popular video games like Madden NFL showed players staggering along the field with serious head injuries. Sportscasters ran highlight reels that celebrated the most brutal hits of the week in college and professional football.

So it’s easy to see why, less than 15 minutes after his injury, Zack decided his team needed him. As happens to many players, Zack didn’t realize he’d suffered a serious brain injury. He didn’t know that by returning to the game, he was risking brain damage or even death.

Today, some 2.8 million kids in the U.S. play football. For many of them, football is more than a game. It’s a way to build discipline and character. It can also be a way to pay for college, and for the lucky few, a ticket to some of the best schools in America. But over the past decade, America’s favorite sport has come under intense scrutiny for the high rate of brain injuries among players of all ages.

Until recently, knocks to the head were considered just another part of the game. Tough guys “played through the pain.” After a hit to the head, many returned to the field with blurred vision, aching temples, and stumbling steps. Toughing it out was seen as a sign of strength and loyalty to teammates. Over time, this attitude trickled down to younger players.

Zack had grown up watching football stars treat their heads like battering rams, colliding with their opponents with ferocious force. Video games like Madden NFL showed players staggering along the field with serious head injuries. Sportscasters ran highlight reels that celebrated the most brutal hits of the week in college and professional football.

So it’s easy to see why, less than 15 minutes after his injury, Zack decided his team needed him. Zack didn’t realize he’d suffered a serious brain injury. He didn’t know that by returning to the game, he was risking brain damage or even death.

Zack’s coach looked him over. A concussion—also known as a mild traumatic brain injury, or mild TBI—is an invisible injury. It leaves no outward marks. Without special training, even some doctors can’t detect one. So when Zack said he felt fine, his coach did what many coaches did when a star player said he felt well enough to play: He sent Zack back to the field.

Zack played like a champion through the second half of the game. He sprinted, blocked, and made key tackles. Meanwhile, his injured brain was a ticking time bomb. Each small hit and jolt pushed his brain toward disaster. In the game’s final seconds, Zack raced after the other team’s running back. He crashed into him, forcing a fumble. It was a game-winning play for Zack’s team.

But there would be no celebration.

Barely a minute later, Zack collapsed. His brain was bleeding and swelling, pushing against his skull. The pain was blinding. Zack drifted in and out of consciousness, with his frantic parents and coach by his side. He was airlifted to a hospital, where surgeons worked feverishly to save his life. They removed large sections of his skull to relieve pressure.

By that night, Zack was in a coma. It would be three months before he opened his eyes, nine months before he could utter a word, and nearly two years before he could eat on his own. He would need care for the rest of his life.

Zack’s coach looked him over. A concussion (also known as a mild traumatic brain injury, or mild TBI) is an invisible injury. It leaves no outward marks. Without special training, even some doctors can’t detect one. So when Zack said he felt fine, his coach did what many coaches did when a star player said he felt well enough to play: He sent Zack back to the field.

Zack played like a champion through the second half of the game. He sprinted, blocked, and made key tackles. Meanwhile, his injured brain was a ticking time bomb. Each small hit and jolt pushed his brain toward disaster. In the game’s final seconds, Zack raced after the other team’s running back. He crashed into him, forcing a fumble. It was a game-winning play for Zack’s team.

But there would be no celebration.

Barely a minute later, had Zack collapsed. His brain was bleeding and swelling, pushing against his skull. The pain was blinding. Zack drifted in and out of consciousness, with his frantic parents and coach by his side. He was airlifted to a hospital, where surgeons worked feverishly to save his life. They removed large sections of his skull to relieve pressure.

By that night, Zack was in a coma. It would be three months before he opened his eyes, nine months before he could speak, and nearly two years before he could eat on his own. He would need care for the rest of his life.

It’s shocking to think that a friendly middle school football game ended with a healthy, young player in a coma. And indeed, only a very small percentage of kids who play football sustain life-threatening brain injuries like Zack’s. Concussions, however, are more frequent. About 10 percent of middle school boys who play football sustain concussions during games, according to The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Most people who get concussions will recover, with proper treatment. Untreated concussions, though, can cause constant headaches, memory problems, mood swings, and other issues, which can last for days, months, even years.

In Zack’s case, it was not the initial concussion that caused his brain to bleed and swell. It was those second, third, and fourth small knocks to his head that happened after he went back into the game.

In other words, if Zack had sat on that bench, gone home, and stayed off the field until his brain had healed, he would likely have been able to keep playing football in high school.

It’s shocking to think that a friendly middle school football game ended with a player in a coma. And indeed, very few kids who play football sustain life-threatening brain injuries like Zack’s. Concussions, however, are more common. About 10 percent of middle school boys who play football sustain concussions during games, according to The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Most people who get concussions will recover, with proper treatment. Untreated concussions, though, can cause constant headaches, memory problems, mood swings, and other issues. These can last for days, months, even years.

In Zack’s case, it was not the initial concussion that caused his brain to bleed and swell. It was those second, third, and fourth small knocks to his head that happened after he went back into the game.

If Zack had sat on that bench, gone home, and stayed off the field until his brain had healed, he would likely have been able to keep playing football in high school.

During those first weeks, while Zack lay in the hospital, the words what if  haunted his parents. What if Zack had understood the dangers of concussions? What if his coach had been trained to recognize them? What if there had been a rule in place to ensure that injured players didn’t return to the game?

“It’s the hardest part of this, knowing that what happened to Zack could have been prevented,” Zack’s father, Victor, has said.

As the Lystedts focused on helping their son recover, they became determined to prevent other athletes from suffering Zack’s fate. Working with lawmakers and the doctors who treated Zack’s injury, they helped develop the Lystedt Law. This law prohibits young athletes who are suspected of having a concussion from returning to play without approval from a medical professional. Since 2014, the Lystedt Law or similar laws have been passed in all 50 states.

The National Football League (NFL) became a major supporter of the Lystedt Law. The NFL has also passed tougher rules about concussions. Today, it’s against NFL rules to tackle headfirst, and doing so comes with stiff penalties. Players who get a hit to the head are immediately evaluated.

The NFL isn’t the only organization paying attention either. In 2012, Pop Warner, the nation’s largest youth football league, implemented special training programs and new safety rules. It now limits tackling drills during practices. (Tackling is closely linked with concussions.) Many youth football teams have done the same. Some teams, especially those with younger players, have eliminated tackling altogether.

A new version of Madden NFL was created too. No longer are injured players glamorized. The makers of the video game say they now see it as an important educational tool for kids’ safety in sports.

These are encouraging steps. But most experts agree that concussions are still a cause for concern in youth sports, especially in contact sports like football and soccer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 69 percent of teen athletes returned to play despite having concussion symptoms. This is a problem that Zack and his family are working to change. 

During those first weeks, while Zack lay in the hospital, the words what if  haunted his parents. What if Zack had understood the dangers of concussions? What if his coach had been trained to recognize them? What if there had been a rule in place to keep injured players off the field?

“It’s the hardest part of this, knowing that what happened to Zack could have been prevented,” Zack’s father, Victor, has said.

The Lystedts wanted to keep other athletes from suffering Zack’s fate. Working with lawmakers and the doctors who treated Zack’s injury, they helped develop the Lystedt Law. This law prohibits young athletes who are suspected of having a concussion from returning to play without approval from a medical professional. Since 2014, the Lystedt Law or similar laws have been passed in all 50 states.

The National Football League (NFL) became a major supporter of the Lystedt Law. The NFL has also passed tougher rules about concussions. Today, it’s against NFL rules to tackle headfirst. Players who get a hit to the head are immediately evaluated.

The NFL isn’t the only organization paying attention. In 2012, Pop Warner, the nation’s largest youth football league, implemented special training programs and new safety rules. It now limits tackling drills during practices. (Tackling is closely linked with concussions.) Many youth football teams have done the same. Some teams, especially those with younger players, have eliminated tackling completely.

A new version of Madden NFL was created too. No longer are injured players glamorized. The makers of the video game say they now see it as an important educational tool for kids’ safety in sports.

These are encouraging steps. But most experts say that concussions are still a cause for concern in youth sports. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 69 percent of teen athletes returned to play despite having concussion symptoms. This is a problem that Zack and his family are working to change.

For more information and resources, visit www.cdc.gov/headsup.

For more information and resources, visit www.cdc.gov/headsup.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, Safe Kids Worldwide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, Safe Kids Worldwide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

This article was originally published in the March 2020 issue.

This article was originally published in the March 2020 issue.