EUGENE, Ore. -- The Oregon Center for Applied Science (ORCAS)
has launched ACTive®, an online training and certification
program that gives youth sports coaches the tools and
information they need to protect players from sports
concussions. ACTive® is funded by the National Institutes of
Health, developed by leading researchers and has been validated
in a clinical trial. An estimated 3.8 million sports and
recreation-related concussions occur each year in the United
States. Long misunderstood as "bellringers" that were just "part
of the game," researchers now know that concussions can lead to
devastating consequences if not properly managed. Young people
are particularly vulnerable to the effects of concussion, and
are more likely to experience prolonged memory and attention
problems as a result. Rarely, victims suffer subsequent brain
injuries while recovering from a concussion, which can lead to
severe long-term injury or death. "There is a critical need to
educate athletic coaches about the seriousness of