About 175,000 children and young adults are treated each year in emergency rooms nationwide for sports-related concussions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC defines a concussion as a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or an impact to the body, causing the brain to shuffle back and forth within the skull.

They’re especially common in high-impact sports such as football, rugby and ice hockey along with soccer, basketball and wrestling. Over time, repeated concussions can change chemicals and cells in the brain, including those responsible for concentration, problem-solving and mood.

According to the Sports Concussion Institute website, it is estimated that 53 percent of high school athletes have sustained a concussion, and 36 percent of collegiate athletes have a history of multiple concussions.

Pitt-Johnstown senior defensive hockey player Eric Brimmeier said he had had two concussions, but only one had been diagnosed.

“They were both from hockey. In the undiagnosed one, I had similar symptoms as the first so I just knew what precautions to take… They took about three weeks each to recover from.

“I haven’t had any long-term effects, just short-term when it happened, but, if I had more than just two, I would be more concerned,” Brimmeier said.

Senior hockey defenseman Dan Yost said he had had three diagnosed concussions, but that number is probably more, including some undiagnosed.

“My longest recovery time was three months, and I missed four months of hockey. I’m already seeing effects from those concussions. I have trouble remembering things and have to look at something longer for it to sink in than most people do.

“I think concussions should be taken more serious especially in younger ages because it doesn’t matter what stage of your life they happen, they will affect you for the rest of your life,” Yost said.

Pitt-Johnstown junior rugby player Grady Zagorac said he had been lucky enough to never had experienced a concussion, but has seen teammates and opposing players get them.

“A past player on the team broke his orbital bone at the same time as the concussion, so he was vomiting a lot and had no clue where he was. It was scary.”

“We all know the potential for concussions are possible every game and practice. I feel like people don’t run as hard as they do in football and try to avoid contact a little more. Subconsciously, everyone knows that they’re not very protected from injury,” Zagorac said.

Junior Jake Bowser said rugby is a lot less dangerous compared with football when it comes to tackling.

“Tackles in rugby are more calculated and precise rather than just throwing yourself at someone like you do in football,” Bowser said.

Former rugby head coach Josh Horner said he had had three concussions from his football and rugby career without any long-term effects.

“Athletes in football are prone to be reckless since they have helmets and shoulder pads. They look for contact, so they’ll steer away from proper form and lead a tackle with their head.

“In rugby, avoiding contact is the first goal since there’s no protective gear. Players are instructed on how to take hits and tackle, rules show that a tackler must tackle a runner between the shoulders and knees… this results in a safe tackler and safer game,” Horner said.