Concussions & sports safety with the B.C. Lions

May 29, 2023
The B.C. Lions are in Kamloops as they prepare for the 2023 CFL season.

David Mackie has suffered two major concussions in his football career. He says he’s lucky they haven’t ended his career in the Canadian Football League, but it’s something that weighs heavily on his mind.

“It’s something we’re always cognizant about for player safety and it’s not only going to affect your current career but also your life down the road,” noted the Canadian fullback for the B.C. Lions.

In the first part of a new series called Safety First: IH’s Guide to Safe Sport, Interior Health looks at concussions: their impacts and how to prevent them. The B.C. Lions being in Kamloops for their annual training camp ahead of the 2023 CFL season was a perfect opportunity to ask the players and coaches about concussions and sports safety.

Lions’ defensive end David Menard has also had a pair of major concussions during his time playing football as a young kid, then in university with Université de Montréal, and in the pros.

“I take them very seriously. It’s a real problem. It’s not just a myth,” said Menard, who’s in his ninth year in the league.

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