Austin James

Yeah, I think it's, I think it's actually good that people are talking about it just because I think, you know, brain health and concussions in particular are a good topic to make sure that people are educated on, um, especially when you're going through them. And so for me, um, this was my second concussion of the year. This one, obviously I said, you know, had memory loss knocked out.

Yeah, I think it's, I think it's actually good that people are talking about it just because I think, you know, brain health and concussions in particular are a good topic to make sure that people are educated on, um, especially when you're going through them. And so for me, um, this was my second concussion of the year. This one, obviously I said, you know, had memory loss knocked out.

I remember, I remember running out in the field and then all of a sudden I started like remembering things and I saw Mel, my wife sitting next to me in back in our like locker room. And I'm like, what the heck? Like what, like what just happened? Um, and so that, yeah, definitely freaks my wife out. She thought I died on the field. Like that's literally her word.

I remember, I remember running out in the field and then all of a sudden I started like remembering things and I saw Mel, my wife sitting next to me in back in our like locker room. And I'm like, what the heck? Like what, like what just happened? Um, and so that, yeah, definitely freaks my wife out. She thought I died on the field. Like that's literally her word.

She's like, you were laying there unconscious. I thought you were dead. And so obviously, that's not great for her to go through and her mental health and her mental health affects my mental health and my mom as well. You know, Colin, she wasn't even at that game. So she was terrified. So there's a lot of emotion that goes into that.

She's like, you were laying there unconscious. I thought you were dead. And so obviously, that's not great for her to go through and her mental health and her mental health affects my mental health and my mom as well. You know, Colin, she wasn't even at that game. So she was terrified. So there's a lot of emotion that goes into that.

And then I went and just continued to kind of educate myself around concussions and learn from a few experts out there. And yeah. felt comfortable at a place where, hey, I didn't have any long-term sustained damage as far as being able to recover. There was no permanent damage. There's nothing, no bleeding on the brain, no fractures or anything like that on the spinal cord or stuff like that.

And then I went and just continued to kind of educate myself around concussions and learn from a few experts out there. And yeah. felt comfortable at a place where, hey, I didn't have any long-term sustained damage as far as being able to recover. There was no permanent damage. There's nothing, no bleeding on the brain, no fractures or anything like that on the spinal cord or stuff like that.

So it was a concussion. And just because I was knocked out doesn't mean it was any worse than any of my other concussions. What you kind of determine it with is how many symptoms do you have? I had some blurred vision, stuff like that. So progressed through that at a normal pace. And based off of that and all the information that I gathered was like, hey, if you're,

So it was a concussion. And just because I was knocked out doesn't mean it was any worse than any of my other concussions. What you kind of determine it with is how many symptoms do you have? I had some blurred vision, stuff like that. So progressed through that at a normal pace. And based off of that and all the information that I gathered was like, hey, if you're,

progressing, coming back at a normal rate and there's nothing permanent, you're at a position where, hey, if the fact of you getting a worse one is probably still really close to the same type of odds as if you didn't have that concussion in the first place. So with that knowledge, I was like, OK, I'm not any more risk than anyone else is right now. I feel comfortable coming back to play.

progressing, coming back at a normal rate and there's nothing permanent, you're at a position where, hey, if the fact of you getting a worse one is probably still really close to the same type of odds as if you didn't have that concussion in the first place. So with that knowledge, I was like, OK, I'm not any more risk than anyone else is right now. I feel comfortable coming back to play.

So that's that's what it went into all that.

So that's that's what it went into all that.

Both. So yeah, I had the conversation. And the thing is, if, if I, it wasn't, it's not like I felt like my equipment was unsafe. Like I'm out there and oh, I don't have the best equipment. My helmet's really good, rates really high. Like my equipment is solid. And if it wasn't, then I would upgrade it. And then also on top of that, the Guardian Hap definitely does affect your performance.

Both. So yeah, I had the conversation. And the thing is, if, if I, it wasn't, it's not like I felt like my equipment was unsafe. Like I'm out there and oh, I don't have the best equipment. My helmet's really good, rates really high. Like my equipment is solid. And if it wasn't, then I would upgrade it. And then also on top of that, the Guardian Hap definitely does affect your performance.

Like I remember wearing that thing a couple of years ago when they first came out with it and I just felt top heavy. Like it's just like an extra pound or so and a half of weight on your head.

Like I remember wearing that thing a couple of years ago when they first came out with it and I just felt top heavy. Like it's just like an extra pound or so and a half of weight on your head.

And so just even me as a runner, right, keeping my balance and all this stuff is definitely thrown off just a little bit running with this thing on my head, being a little bit more top heavy, go down probably a little bit more easy. I remember I actually had a neck guard one time because I got speared in the face. but I couldn't put my neck all the way back.

And so just even me as a runner, right, keeping my balance and all this stuff is definitely thrown off just a little bit running with this thing on my head, being a little bit more top heavy, go down probably a little bit more easy. I remember I actually had a neck guard one time because I got speared in the face. but I couldn't put my neck all the way back.