13°c A few clouds
19°c Variable cloudiness
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Hard-hitting look at sports head injuries
FILMMAKER Steve James (Hoop Dreams) isn't one to save the best for last. Here are the first words in his documentary about brain trauma in athletes: "It's been known for a long time that banging your head over and over and over and over again can be a bad thing."
Hard hitting in more ways than one, Head Games takes its title from a book by Chris Nowinski, a former footballer and wrestler (and Harvard graduate) who looked into the prevalence and severity of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the NFL. A cool, computer-generated graphic puts CTE in perspective -- imagine the tracks that carry impulses through your brain shattered by repeated blows.
Related Items
Nowinski got a boost when New York Times sports reporter Alan Schwarz started following the same leads. Among his findings; a 2009 report that showed dementia in retired football players -- at a rate 19 times higher than the general public. Sports players who have committed suicide were later found to have CTE.
Gets worse
It gets worse. Doctors have found that concussive injuries also plague hockey and soccer (from heading the ball), and that children are just as likely to be concussed playing such sports in school.
Nowinski is seen giving a talk at one high school where the head coach says his 10-year-old suffered dizzy spells after playing soccer, but that it wasn't concussion; it was "part of the game." Professional sports leagues have been similarly slow to admit the possible scope of the problem.
Head Games doesn't provide easy answers, and even those who admit the dangers are loath to pull their kids out of sports they love. Others point out that school athletics help keep kids out of gangs.
It's certainly wholesome food for thought for anyone with kids in sports. In the end, Schwarz says, it comes down to personal choice. If you and your children are aware of the risks and still want to participate, he says forebodingly, "knock yourself out."
-- Postmedia News
Movie Review
Head Games
Starring Alan Schwarz, Bill Daly and Robert Cantu
Globe
G
91 minutes
Three out of five stars
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 5, 2012 D6
More Movies
- Back to Top
- Return to Movies
More Movies
(1 of 7 articles for today)
Film Review: 'We Steal Secrets' is a juicy look at the WikiLeaks story
4:33 PM 0
Poll
Most Popular Movies
- Hangover 3: No nausea, not much of a headache
- MOVIES
- Film review: 'The Hangover Part III' dares to end comic trilogy on a darker note
- New on DVD/VOD
- Brosnan identifies with character in 'Love Is All You Need,' a widowed father
- 'Quality Balls' doc profiles Winnipeg-born comedy veteran David Steinberg
- Movie review: More cars, noise, stunts, weapons: 'Fast & Furious 6' piles it on
- Open casting call for part of young boy in Winnipeg-shot film
- Review: Hawke, Delpy's 'Before Midnight' is a raw, pitch-perfect look at mature love
- Difficult bandmate, terrible husband, amazing drummer
- McConaughey excels in tale of Southern masculinity
- Second instalment of sci-fi reboot lacks Khan-do attitude
- Film review: 'The Hangover Part III' dares to end comic trilogy on a darker note
- Difficult bandmate, terrible husband, amazing drummer
- Hangover 3: No nausea, not much of a headache
- 'Trek' does $70.6M but falls short of studio hopes; 'Iron Man 3' tops $1B worldwide
- Subtle horror unwinds in psychological film
- The point? What point?
- MOVIES
- Comedy covers sex from A to Z... by way of S&M
- Medical community lauds Jolie's courage, while pointing out that her solution is not for all
- There's some big, dumb fun to be had in comedy caper, but the laughs come at a queasy cost
- McConaughey excels in tale of Southern masculinity
- Second instalment of sci-fi reboot lacks Khan-do attitude
- Futuristic Colony bleak inside and out
- Director takes ‘Roaring ’20s’ literally with loud, garish Gatsby adaptation
- Tony Stark doesn't suit up as often, but sequel still packs in action
- Catherine Zeta-Jones checks into mental health facility for treatment of bipolar disorder
- Comedy covers sex from A to Z... by way of S&M
- Rape repercussion tale impressive film
- Second instalment of sci-fi reboot lacks Khan-do attitude
- Difficult bandmate, terrible husband, amazing drummer
- Bradley Manning emerges as the sympathetic star of WikiLeaks doc
- Hangover 3: No nausea, not much of a headache
- Medical community lauds Jolie's courage, while pointing out that her solution is not for all
- Second instalment of sci-fi reboot lacks Khan-do attitude
- Movie looking for boy with 'open, honest face'
- Six Israeli secret service chiefs and one inescapable conclusion
- Tony Stark doesn't suit up as often, but sequel still packs in action
- Imax to go out way it came in
- Open casting call for part of young boy in Winnipeg-shot film
- Manga: it's not just for kids anymore
- Cut out the jargon: Alan Alda centre at NY college teaches scientists to keep it simple
- Winnipeg-born actress Deanna Durbin dies at 91
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.