Rowan Stringer was just 17 when she died two years ago, on Mother’s Day, after suffering what proved to be a fatal concussion during a high school rugby game in Ottawa. It was her second concussion within a week.
The coroner’s inquest that followed cast a harsh light on youth sports organizations, pointing to a lack of protocols that experts say must be addressed to keep our kids safe.
In a special, four-part series that won the 2016 National Newspaper Award for sports, Postmedia News explores the issue of youth concussions: from the pressure felt by athletes to “power through” and take one for the team, to the need to balance safety against fear, to the patchwork of policies across the country that leaves young athletes at risk. Read the rest of the series here.