Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  With the first concussion, we followed the protocol. It was strict rest until the symptoms went away and then you start a gradual return to sports activity. I believe that the first step was walking for half an hour. The second step was walking for two minutes, running for one minute.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  Yes, it's important. My impression is that the sporting organizations are trying to follow what the research shows. It's crucial that they partner with research institutes to test out whether the changes they want to make are actually effective.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  I played multiple sports. In summer and spring I'd play lacrosse and whatnot, and golf, which was fun. I was still able to play golf, but it was really in the winters that I wasn't able to play any sport because I wasn't cleared to play any type of contact sport. That's really when I wanted to take up coaching.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  No, I didn't play lacrosse. I had to quit lacrosse, too. I wasn't as devastated because I still had golf.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  No, not in the winters.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  No.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  From my research lab that I'm part of.... There used to be a rule where in practice they would hit the ball over the net, and then run underneath the net to go get their ball, meanwhile the person behind them in line would also spike the ball down. That resulted in concussions, being hit in the back of the head with the ball, so there was a policy change last year, I believe, where now they're no longer allowed to run under the net.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  Hockey was extremely important to me. I played that sport for eight years, and to have it taken away from me in an instant, as you said, was super hard. After the concussion when I went back to school I was still hanging out with my friends and they were all still playing hockey, most of them on the same team, and they were talking about what happened in last night's game, in the weekend tournament, and I couldn't feel part of that conversation anymore.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  Some of them, yes, but not all of them.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  Just from the sport level around policy changes, I think we really need the research to tell us what the effect is of policy changes. I know there's research out there for disallowing bodychecking, and that reduces injury and concussion, but I think there needs to be a large focus also placed on what happens when a concussion occurs, or a suspected concussion.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  I agree with that fully. I didn't even know what a concussion was when I had my first one. I had never heard that term before. Even after a few years of my second one, I was explaining to people what happened and what it was. No, I don't ever remember talking to anyone.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  That's a really complex question, and I like it.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  For me, it was just trial and error with a bunch of different things. It really started with medications, and then when that wasn't helping, it turned more to biofeedback, like controlling breathing. Also, social support, for me, was a key factor in trying to keep my mental health positive.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  I'm looking at whether, if bodychecking is disallowed, there are any changes in offensive performance. I'm also looking at the effects of concussion more from the sensory motor side of things, so movement and whatnot. Those are the projects I've been working on.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  Yes, for sure. Another project I've done is called patient engagement research. It's trying to understand the experiences of adolescents who have gone through the concussion rehabilitation. I've had a concussion, so I conduct qualitative research through interviews and focus groups, and try to gain the perspective of other individuals' experiences.