A California lawmaker has introduced legislation requiring high school coaches be trained to recognize and manage the signs of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The legislation comes on the heels of a New York Times article, detailing the recent injury of a high school baseball player and the death of actress Natasha Richardson.

Both Richardson and the high school athlete suffered an epidural hematoma, or bleeding between the inside of the skull and the outer covering of the brain caused by traumatic injury. The high school student was injured when he was struck in the head by a ball thrown by an infielder. His helmet came off while he was running the bases, leaving his head unprotected.

Luckily, coaches noticed when the teenager complained of a throbbing headache and rushed him to a nearby hospital. This quick action likely saved his life.

Unfortunately, brain injuries can be tricky to diagnose and delayed treatment can often be the difference between life and death. Richardson, for example, reportedly refused initial treatment for her injuries. Four hours later she was rushed to the hospital after her condition deteriorated rapidly, but it was too late to save her.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1.1 million people are treated and released from U.S. emergency rooms each year and an additional 235,000 are hospitalized for TBI suffered while playing sports. A 2007 study by the CDC concluded that youth between the ages of 5 and 18 account for 65 percent of sports- and recreation-related TBI.

While youths are at the greatest risk for these serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries, college-age student-athletes are not immune and coaches should be trained to recognize and respond to the symptoms of a TBI.

According to a recent study, female college athletes are more prone to concussions--a mild form of TBI--than their male counterparts. Women's ice hockey is the leader in concussion rates.

The symptoms of a TBI can be subtle and may not appear immediately. According to the CDC symptoms include:

• Headaches or neck pain that do not go away;


• Difficulty remembering, concentrating, or making decisions;


• Slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, or reading;


• Getting lost or easily confused;


• Feeling tired all of the time, having no energy or motivation;


• Mood changes (feeling sad or angry for no reason);


• Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping a lot more or having a hard time sleeping);


• Light-headedness, dizziness, or loss of balance;


• Urge to vomit (nausea);


• Increased sensitivity to lights, sounds, or distractions;


• Blurred vision or eyes that tire easily;


• Loss of sense of smell or taste; and


• Ringing in the ears.

There are inherent risks to every sport, but with proper training and education, coaches can help protect their student-athletes from serious (and potentially fatal) injuries.