Washington, DC – NCPA Executive Director and CAPA President Ramogi Huma is attending the White House Healthy Kids & Safe Sports Concussion Summit today. In response to the Obama administration's request for a commitment from various stakeholders to take new steps to help protect young athletes, CAPA and the NCPA are announcing the "Mind, Your Business" program. This joint effort between CAPA and the NCPA will seek buy in from coaches, parents, athletic associations, and athletes in and around youth sports to treat protecting young minds as their business. The program will work to help replace a hazardous element in contact sports’ culture in which players decide or are encouraged by others to conceal sports-related head injuries with one that will empower young athletes to report suspected head injuries to adults who will respond appropriately.
Huma stated, "We fully support President Obama's leadership on this critical issue. While injuries are inherent in contact sports, we must do all we can to minimize the risks to young athletes and implement best practices."
Former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter who is leading the unionization effort on the Northwestern football team was unable to accept an invitation to the summit due to activities with his new team, the Minnesota Vikings. Colter stated, "This is an issue that deserves serious attention and I believe we can make a significant impact."