Page 21 - ATODAY
P. 21
SPORTS A21
Friday 4 March 2016
Brandi Chastain pledges her
brain for concussion study
ANNE M. PETERSON a degenerative condition 1991, as well as its second in This Nov. 29, 2005, file photo shows U.S Olympic gold medal
AP Sports Writer caused by a blow or blows 1999. The iconic image from soccer player Brandi Chastain arriving for the premiere of her
Brandi Chastain, whose to the head. that second title came mo- HBO sports documentary “Dare to Dream,” in New York.
penalty kick gave the Unit- The research team last ments after Chastain’s left-
ed States the 1999 Wom- month announced that it footed penalty kick against Associated Press
en’s World Cup title, has had found signs of CTE in China when she ripped off
pledged her brain for con- the brain of former Oakland her jersey in celebration at concussions among high Chastain hopes she’ll in-
cussion research. Raiders quarterback and the Rose Bowl. school athletes. Girls’ soc- spire other female athletes
The 47-year-old Chastain NFL MVP Ken Stabler. But of Today, Chastain is a youth cer was second. More re- to pledge their brains to
announced her dona- the 307 brains in the bank, coach and mom living in cent studies show boys’ science. Fellow former na-
tion to the Massachusetts- just seven are from women the San Francisco Bay Area. ice hockey and lacrosse to tional team player Cindy
based Concussion Legacy and none has been found She believes awareness also have high rates. Parlow Cone and decorat-
Foundation on Thursday. to have CTE. is growing, and has part- The Concussion Legacy ed swimmer Jenny Thomp-
Upon her death, her brain “We currently know so little nered with the Concussion Foundation was involved in son have also done so.
will go to the VA-BU-CLF about how gender influ- Legacy Foundation’s Safer identifying the first case of When Chastain told her
Brain Bank, a joint project ences outcome after trau- Soccer Initiative, which CTE in a soccer player af- 9-year-old son about the
with the Department of ma,” said Dr. Ann McKee, calls on youth coaches to ter examining the brain of donation, she said: “Well, I
Veterans Affairs and Boston director of the brain bank eliminate headers in prac- Patrick Grange, an aspiring won’t need it anymore, so I
University School of Medi- program. “Her pledge tice and in games for those pro known for his headers might as well put it to good
cine. marks an important step to under 14. who died in 2012 at 29. use.”q
“It is really about: How I expand our knowledge in “It’s been a journey about
can help impact soccer this critical area.” education for me,” she
beyond scoring a goal in Chastain isn’t sure she’s said. “I’ve been involved
1999 in the World Cup final. had concussions, but sus- in sports for a long time,
Can I do something more pects she has had at least only up until recently, have
to leave soccer in a better a couple. In her playing people been talking about
place than it was when I days, there wasn’t the concussions, and then con-
began this wonderful jour- knowledge about concus- cussions specifically related
ney with this game?” she sions that there is today. to soccer. It’s been mostly
said. “You just shook it off back a football problem or a
Researchers are studying then,” she said. football issue. But it’s not.”
the postmortem human Chastain played for the A study published in
brain and spinal cord tissue U.S. national team from the American Journal
in hopes of diagnosing and 1988-2004. She was on the of Sports Medicine in 2012
treating chronic traumatic team that won the inaugu- showed that football had
encephalopathy, or CTE, ral Women’s World Cup in the greatest incidence of
Doral was a good day.” Scott Piercy, right, talks to his caddie, Travis Perkins before hitting events.
Danny Willett, Adam Scott, from the sixth tee during the first round of the Cadillac Champi- “We all know we’re trying
Continued from Page 17 Jason Dufner and Charley onship golf tournament, Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Doral, Fla. to beat those guys week-
Hoffman were all two shots in, week-out,” Piercy said.
Fraser had seven birdies back of Piercy, each card- Associated Press “They have proved it. I
before his lone bogey of ing 68s. World No. 1 Jordan haven’t proven it week-in,
the day, and Piercy also Spieth was in a group an- golf club all the time but ies in his first 11 holes. Being week-out, but when my
got to 7 under at one point other shot back, three off sometimes I’m like an ama- atop a World Golf Cham- game’s there I’m pretty
before settling for his 66. the pace at 3 under, and teur and I hit it in the parts pionships leaderboard on decent. We all know they
Mickelson made bogey said that even on a rela- where we’re not supposed Sunday is far different than are there. They are look-
only twice, immediately tively calm day by Doral to. But that’s how it is.” on a Thursday, but it’s a ing at my name today. So
erasing each with a birdie weather standards, it felt Piercy spent eight hours on most positive sign for Piercy maybe they will do it to-
on the following hole, and like a grind. the range Monday working — a three-time winner on morrow.”
the 67 was nearly six full “It always is here,” Spieth on a change to his back- tour who shot better than Past winners at Doral
shots better than his aver- said. “And this would be a swing and saw immediate 66 only once in his first 24 struggled a bit. Defending
age round score at Doral in day that should play about results, making seven bird- stroke-play rounds in WGC champion Dustin Johnson
his previous two visits. as easy as it possibly can shot an even-par 72, put-
His best round on the Blue with just a 5- to 10-mile-an- ting him in a tie for 28th.
Monster in 2014 was a 69, hour breeze. The standard And 2014 winner Patrick
and his low score at Doral wind here I think. Still, the Reed could get nothing
last year was 71. scores aren’t extremely going, his 5-over 77 beat-
“It was a good day,” said low.” ing only three other play-
Mickelson, who feigned Spieth was in a featured ers. Mickelson won on the
disbelief when his chip on group, with world No. 2 previous version of the Blue
the par-5 8th — his 17th of Jason Day and No. 3 Rory Monster, a course he knew
the day — stopped inches McIlroy with him. McIlroy as well as anyone. And
from the hole, leaving him shot 1 under, Day finished Thursday showed he’s got
a tap-in birdie. “I hit a lot at even par. a chance to do just fine on
of good shots, made some “Human error, unfortunate- the redesign as well.
good putts and just drove ly,” Day said. “I wish I could “I’m not going to com-
it well, enjoyed the day. It hit it in the center of the plain,” Mickelson said.q
