HEALTH & SAFETY

By Christian Farrell- Hudson Valley

NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- Are you ready for some football? Youngsters in the Orange County Youth Football League certainly are. It is week one of their season, and Danny Lorenzo has his eyes on his son Jayden, 7, who is playing in his very first football game.

"It I did it when I was young, I don't think he'll have a problem when he's young," said Lorenzo.

There are some though, who believe the game has changed, specifically relating to player injuries. Concussions have reached the crisis level in the National Football League. Just this past week, the NFL announced it is joining forces with the U.S. Army to try and tackle the problem.

But, perhaps an even bigger problem is the impact that head injuries are having on the youth leagues. Parents fearful of injury no longer allowing their kids to score touchdowns or make tackles.

"I know a lot of parents that don't put their boys in because they don't want any injuries, but they can get injured playing any sport," noted Andrea Granieri, a grandparent.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is taking a proactive approach with the problem at the pee-wee level.

"We're working with coaches to make sure they're certified, and understand not just proper techniques, but also to recognize when someone needs medical attention," explained Goodell.

Please read more at Hudson Valley  

By Lisa Kocian- Boston

Research indicates that youths are more susceptible to brain damage, and long-term problems appear more likely if an athlete returns to play before his or her brain has had a chance to heal.

"Parents don't realize how much they need to reduce their child's level of activity after they've had even a minor concussion," said Jessica Harney, director of rehabilitation services for Medford-based Hallmark Health System. "No text messaging, no Xbox, no TV, no Facebook. They really need to give their brain that rest."

Females and younger athletes may take longer to recover from concussions, according to a study published in April in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Under a 2010 state law, injured middle and high school students must return to play gradually and ­only after medical clearance. As part of their recovery, they sometimes have to take a break from class work as well.

The rules, which took effect last school year, require schools to provide annual training to students, parents, and staff on how to recognize and respond to head injuries. School districts are also required to submit data on head injuries to the state Department of Public Health.

Please read more at Boston

By Natalie Davis- Bloomfield

A Union County middle school teacher and owner of a Parsippany youth sports academy was arrested last week for allegedly having sexual contact with an underage teenage girl, authorities said.

Robert J. Gervasi Jr., 48, of Bloomfield, was taken into custody in Union Township on Thursday while attempting to meet with a 14-year-old girl, Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow said.

Gervasi was charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of second-degree luring, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, one count of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

Gervasi was a teacher at Kawameeh Middle School in Union and owns Ablaze Baseball and Softball Academy on New Road in Parsippany, Romankow said.

Leaders of Parsippany's Par-Troy East and Par-Troy West Little League baseball organizations said they have no knowledge of Gervasi or his Ablaze Academy.

The Ablaze Academy website appears to have been taken down.

Patch attempted to call the academy's main phone numbers and received a "not available" message at one and a voicemail message on the other.

Please read more at Bloomfield

by Dave McGinn, The Globe and Mail

A first-of-its-kind set of physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines suggests children up to four years of age get at least three hours of physical activity each day and sets strict limits on screen time.

"Our kids today, little ones under the age of four, need to move more, they need to sit less and they need to get off of screens," says Kelly Murumets, president and CEO of ParticipACTION, which released the guidelines on Tuesday with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.

Some people might think that kids spend their days climbing trees or playing sports, but in fact children four and under spend 73 to 84 per cent of their waking hours being sedentary, Ms. Murumets says.

The guidelines are Canada's first systematic, evidence-based physical activity guidelines for children in this age group.

Read more at theglobeandmail.com