CHAPEL HILL, NC – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Board of Directors passed regulations mandating that schools require parents and students to view a concussion education video known as CrashCourse prior to each season. The video was developed by TeachAids, a 501(c)(3) non-profit leader in global education innovation, and researchers at Stanford University.
The video features former NCHSAA star, Bryce Love, a standout running back from Wake Forest High School and Stanford University, narrates and stars in the video that seeks to place viewers in the shoes of a football player in the middle of a competition.
CrashCourse aims to raise awareness of the latest science around concussions to shift the conversation away from fear and silence towards knowledge and empowerment. It features curriculum components, first in HD then Virtual Reality, including a short interactive film which puts the viewer on the field to experience a concussion, a brain fly-through using Stanford Medicine technology, a concussion symptom simulator, as well as viewpoints from top athletes to share the latest medical knowledge on the signs and symptoms of concussions.
The video’s star, Bryce Love, 2018 Heisman Trophy Runner-Up, has a passion for concussion research and education. He noted, "It’s a dream come true to know that my home state will be a leader in the effort to provide CrashCourse to educate youth and parents across all sports. CrashCourse is powerful, engaging and ensures we are arming our sports communities with the most compelling education to keep our players safer and performing at their best.”
NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker said, “When our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) came across this resource, they were impressed by the presentation and felt it important to do something to enhance the required concussion education portion of our members’ preseason meetings.” She continued, “The Board felt that CrashCourse is incredibly relatable for high school athletes. It presents information in a quick, logical, understandable and unique way that will highlight the area's athletes and parents need to know while trying to remove some of the stigma associated with reporting potential concussions.”
“CrashCourse is a fantastic tool to raise awareness and understanding of concussions in student-athletes,” said Dr. Josh Bloom, Medical Director for Carolina Sports Concussion Clinic and member of the NCHSAA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. “Simply put, the more our student-athletes know about these injuries, the better. We are proud that North Carolina continues to be a leader in concussion education and treatment and providing CrashCourse for our high school student-athletes is another important positive step.”
About North Carolina High School Athletic Association
The NCHSAA is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation that provides governance and leadership for interscholastic athletic programs that support and enrich the educational experience of students in all 418 member schools. The NCHSAA conducts championships in 23 sports across four classifications of play with over 90-team champions crowned each year. For more information on the NCHSAA or NCHSAA Championships, visit the Association’s website www.NCHSAA.org.
About TeachAids
TeachAids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social venture that creates breakthrough software addressing numerous persistent problems in health education around the world. CrashCourse is the second free health education program launched by TeachAids in collaboration with Stanford University, following the global success of its award-winning HIV/AIDS interactive software, which is used in 82 countries around the world. For more information on TeachAids visit TeachAids.org or follow us on Twitter @TeachAids, Facebook @TeachAids, YouTube at TeachAids, and Instagram at @teachaids.
