Head to Speech

During Concussion Awareness month Speech Language Pathologist Tabia Pope, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Certified Sports SLP™ breaks down Observable and Invisible Signs & Symptoms. She points out notable signs and symptom's of Tyler Sash from the documentary I produced 'Concussed: The American Dream' which is Now Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and various Cable Platforms On-Demand. Below is a breakdown of her work and don't forget to checkout HeadToSpeech.org to explore their programs or join the team. There are Observable versus invisible signs and symptoms: Tyler had cognitive, communication and behavioral difficulties. There were other professional football players in the documentary that also talked about their signs and symptoms so what I’m doing is, I’m pulling out the physical, cognitive-communication and behavioral difficulties that were stated in the documentary and I’m gonna break it down. Physical:  Dizziness  Noise sensitivity Cognitive:  Attention/focus Confusion  Memory/Kept repeating himself (repetitive)  The inability to remember plays, names, faces Can’t remember directions or getting lost and can’t find your way back home  Getting to the kitchen and can’t remember why you are there  Peanut butter and Jelly (memory and sequencing skills)  Having to start all over again to remember  leaving things open  anxiety (social communication - public speaking)  Disorganized thinking  Forgetting what you are saying or writing.  What he wrote on the top of the page was identical to the button of the page. Behavioral:  Insomnia  Crying (can’t tell you the reason)  Frustration  Depression  Suicidal behaviors  Feelings that he couldn’t control his mind Missing social interaction but he stayed away because he didn’t want to expose the deficits that they was facing  Something can be perceived as irritating  Impulsivity Other sports injuries:  Never fully recovered from managing pain due to ankle and shoulder injuries Impact on Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)  Can't focus enough to complete everyday tasks  For example, the mail is still lying there for months because of the lack of inhibition. As highlighted in the documentary, treatment is not to turn the lights off, talk quietly, and everything will be okay. Only with the brain do we not treat it immediately. Many people take the wait and see approach or don’t have any approach to treatment, return to play and return to learning. Learning happens on and off the field, court or wherever the athlete plays their sport. Athletes need to be monitored closely and have independent professionals providing care and communicating with staff professionals on the team. #ConcussedMovie #Documentary #HeadToSpeech #Podcast #TabiaPope #SpeechLanguagePathology #Filmmaker #RayRoman #BrainHealth #Concussions #CTE #ConcussionAwareness #Podcasting

Special thanks to Emerald Fulmore, Ed. D and the Bowie State University Sports Management Program for welcoming Head to Speech and graduate clinicians from the University of the District of Columbia Speech-Language Pathology Program’s Brain Lab! President & CEO of Head to Speech, Dr. Tabia Pope, Certified Sports SLP™️ spoke to Intro to Sports Management classes and Organization & Administration in Sports class about how athlete brain health impacts various sports careers and their bottom line. Today we impacted over 50 sports management students who participated in interactive discussions and presentations during our signature training. The Organization & Administration class presented their action plans and were offered internships and information on how to become a Head to Speech Ambassador on their campus! The University of the District of Columbia Brain Lab graduate clinicians were able to present information on the differences between athlete brain health and sports concussions. Here at Head to Speech we are being proactive instead of reactive. Know the difference because it does impact the bottom line! Interprofessional education and collaborative practices benefit the future generation because they get to learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. We’re looking forward to seeing what these students do with their action plans! If you’re interested in bringing this talk to your sports management program, please email info@headtospeech.org. #headtospeech #careerpathways #brainhealth #sportsmanagement #athleticditector #coach #athleticadministrator #communitycenterdirector #equipmentmanager #generalmanager #sportsagent #sportsbroadcaster #sportsjournalist #sportsmarketing #sportsandentertainment #publicrelations #scout #sportsanalyst #sportssales #linkedinsports #bowiestateuniversity #hbcusports #blacksportsbusiness #sportsbusiness

We are excited to welcome Lauren Driskell to Head to Speech as our first intern through our Career Pathways program! Lauren Driskell is a senior Health Management major at Howard University, from Prince George's County, Maryland, with aspirations to become a speech-language pathologist. She is eager to embark on her internship here at Head to Speech, which will be a pivotal step towards achieving her career goals. She is interested in blending her passion for healthcare with speech and language to help people achieve effective communication. At Head to Speech, she will build a solid foundation in concepts related to brain health, brain injury, and sports concussion management for academia, educational and healthcare settings as they relate to the sports and athletic community. #headtospeech #howarduniversity #internship #nonprofit #nonprofitleadership #healthcaremanagement #administration #sportsphilantrophy #slpeeps #careerpathways

Today is National Concussion Awareness Day! Prepare yourself for this great episode by completing these steps: 1) Watch "Concussed: The American Dream," starring Brett Favre, Jim McMahon, and Christian Okoye, now playing on Apple TV and Amazon Prime. The New York Giants drafted Tyler Sash and became a part of the 2012 Super Bowl-winning team. Concussions would cut Sash's career short, and the film is paralleled by NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre's CTE experience. 2) Watch or listen to the Head to Speech Masterclass with award-winning film Producer, Ray Roman as Dr. Tabia Pope reviews his sports documentary. Reflect on the stories of professional football players and their families dealing with football-related concussions and as Dr. Pope pointed out in the Masterclass — physical, cognitive, and behavioral difficulties leading to neurodegenerative disorders and CTE. 3) DONATE to headtospeech.org and join our programs! Learn more about how to get involved today! Donations are tax-deductible. 4) Follow us @headtospeech and start a fundraiser for us! Head to Speech is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational, scientific, and charitable initiatives for athlete brain health, sports concussions, and their effects on speech-language, hearing, and cognitive-communication skills. Our mission is to promote and advocate for athlete brain health by bridging the gaps between athletics and speech-language pathologists through increased connections, integration, and expansion of our programs. #headtospeech #concussed #documentary #podcast #podcourse #masterclass #concussionawarenessday #sportsconcussion #podcasthost #podcastguest #cte #brainhealth #concussionawareness #healthcommunications #publichealth #advocacy #sportsnonprofit #nonprofit #linkedinsports #sportsphilantrophy #football #profootballplayers #nflplayers #nflfamilies #collegefootball #highschoolfootball #slpeeps #concussionmovie https://lnkd.in/e8SDiXAt

🎙️You can now listen to the Head to Speech Ambassador Podcast on APPLE PODCASTS! We are raising awareness about athlete brain health under the Sports category! 🎧https://lnkd.in/g46h8Byn #applepodcast #podcast #sportspodcast #brainhealth #concussionawareness #linkedinsports #healthandfitnesspodcast

Concussion Awareness Day is on September 20th but you know what, we can’t wait until then to release the Head to Speech Podcast. Listen to this podcast right now! You want to know why… It’s because we woke up this morning to people reaching out to us regarding Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffering the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career in last nights game against the Buffalo Bills. Ironically he was hit by Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Both players have been in the headlines and our prayers due to their on the field observable health conditions that couldn’t be denied by all of us who watched. As everyone chimes in on Tua’s concussion history and the pleas for him to retire, please consider this: There are observable and invisible signs and symptoms that occur when a player has sustained subconcussive and concussive impacts to their brain. We all observed his fingers curled as he laid on the ground in a fencing position. Our President and CEO, Dr. Tabia Pope said, “As a Sports Speech-Language Pathologist, I know that once players sustain 3 or more concussions it increases their risk of developing post-concussion syndrome (PCS) and long-term cognitive-communication deficits impacting one’s ability to remember, concentrate, make decisions, think, speak, read, and write. It doesn’t take 3 to impact a player’s life but 3 or more concussions should flag a referral to a SLP for cognitive-communication assessments and interventions.” Listen to the Head to Speech Podcast now to understand why we cannot be reactive and take the wait and see approach to player brain health, https://lnkd.in/enR5c4SS. Head to Speech provides a preventative approach to athlete brain health. We bridge the gaps and make the connections needed to integrate and expand our programs throughout their playing career, continium of care, and lifetime. If you know an athlete that needs support and resources now, email info@headtospeech.org for more information. Donate today to support our programs by visiting headtospeech.org. All donations are tax-deductible.

🏈 Football is back and class is in session! We’re introducing the launch of the Head to Speech Ambassador Podcast and PodCourse membership, where our Ambassadors are engaged in what’s going on with Head to Speech and Head to Speech is engaged in what’s happening in their communities! 🎙️We’re excited for the flagship PodCourse series, the Head to Speech Masterclass with Dr. Tabia Pope. The first episode will drop on September 20th in honor of National Concussion Awareness Day! Prepare yourself for this great episode by completing these steps: 1) Watch "Concussed: The American Dream," starring Brett Favre, Jim McMahon, and Christian Okoye, now playing on Apple TV and Amazon Prime – click here to watch the trailer: https://lnkd.in/gw96YJim! The New York Giants drafted Tyler Sash and became a part of the 2012 Super Bowl-winning team. Concussions would cut Sash's career short, and the film is paralleled by NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre's CTE experience. 2) Comment, “LISTEN”, if you want to access the Head to Speech Masterclass with award-winning film Producer, Ray Roman as Dr. Tabia Pope reviews his sports documentary. Reflect on the stories of professional football players and their families dealing with football-related concussions and as Dr. Pope pointed out in the Masterclass — physical, cognitive, and behavioral difficulties leading to neurodegenerative disorders and CTE. 3) Apply for our PodCourse membership here, https://lnkd.in/eaHY_mFV. Once your application is approved, you’ll gain access to ongoing lessons from Dr. Tabia Pope and guests. Listen as they breakdown different ways to shift the sports and fitness culture from being reactive to proactive about prehab brain health, preventative education, and sports concussion management. Learn about what’s happening in the news and community before, during and after game day, as well as how its connected to Head to Speech and impacts athletes, their support networks, and industry experts who work directly with them. 4) Visit headtospeech.org to explore our programs and ways to support and donate. Head to Speech is the nation’s leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational, scientific and charitable initiatives for athlete brain health, sports concussions, and their effects on speech-language, hearing, and cognitive-communication skills. All donations are tax-deductible! #headtospeech #concussed #documentary #podcast #podcourse #masterclass #concussionawarenessday #sportsconcussion #podcasthost #podcastguest #cte #brainhealth #concussionawareness #healthcommunications #publichealth #advocacy #sportsnonprofit #nonprofit #linkedinsports #sportsphilantrophy #football #profootballplayers #nflplayers #nflfamilies #collegefootball #highschoolfootball #slpeeps #concussionmovie

Congratulations again to our 2024 Head to Speech Innovation Honorees! Alicia J. Whittington, PhD, MPH has been a research scientist with the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University for almost eight years. She leads community engagement science and health equity research for this comprehensive research program dedicated to addressing the health and wellbeing of former NFL players. She is also a co-founder of Family Experiences Managing Football Lives (FEM-FL), a research initiative focusing on health and wellness of family members of NFL players. Dr. Whittington’s dissertation explored Concussion Education and Perceptions of Injury Risk among High School Football Players. She is currently a student in the Master of Science Program in Media, Medicine, and Health at Harvard Medical School. Three of her brothers played in Division-I college football programs, and subsequently, two played in the NFL. Andrea Durham, MS, ATC, CSCS is a Maryland-certified and licensed Athletic Trainer. Her career experience spans every competitive level. She currently works at the Bullis School in Potomac, MD as a full-time instructor in both Kinesiology & Rehabilitation and Entrepreneurship while continuing to serve as a PRN Certified Athletic Trainer. She serves as a committee member on the Maryland Athletic Trainer’s Association DEI committee and the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers Association Young Professionals Committee as the Maryland representative. In 2020, she founded Minority Women in Sports Medicine, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation dedicated to empowering and supporting women of diverse backgrounds in the field of sports medicine. Its mission is to foster inclusivity and equity in sports medicine by amplifying the voices and achievements of minority women. Through its college scholarship foundation, mentorship program, and community workshops and events, the foundation provides all the necessary tools for women to thrive in whichever profession they choose. Tajah Muhammad is a mindset performance coach and current doctoral candidate. Tajah is the Founder and CEO of WINN Network. Her career experience expands over 10+ years coaching and mentoring youth, student athletes, and corporate clients. WINN Network advocates for student athlete development through partnerships with high schools and universities. Their workshops and curriculums for athletic teams and departments focus on mindset development and financial competency. In March of 2024, Tajah founded Project WINN, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation that is committed to servicing underserved student athletes and their parents through community outreach initiatives focused on mindset development, financial competency and health awareness. #headtospeech #FEMFL #nflpa #playersstudy #nflfamilies #sportsfamilies #concussionresearch #concussioneducation #athletictrainers #Kinesiology #rehabilitation #sportsmedicine #MinorityWomeninSportsMedicine #mindsetperformancecoach #athletedevelopment

Congratulations again to our 2024 Head to Speech Leadership Honorees! Dr. Kechia Rowles is the Director of Athletics/Head Athletic Trainer for Rockdale County Public Schools in Conyers, GA. Dr. Rowles has worked as a Head Athletic Trainer for several schools in both Georgia and Alabama. She is responsible for the prevention, care and rehabilitation of injuries for all student-athletes in the district. Dr. Rowles serves on the Georgia High School Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. She created the RCPS Student Athletic Aide Program for students interested in pursuing careers in Sports Medicine and Leadership Training Cohort for district personnel interested in athletic administration. Lisa Daniels, PhD., CMPC is a Sports Psychotherapist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant® at Howard University. She is the founder of Dynamic Performance Interventions, LLC. Dr. Daniels is a former athlete and proud survivor of a traumatic brain injury. Dr. Daniels utilizes psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, motivational interviewing, and humanistic interventions to teach clients mental skills to maximize success and gain access to their competitive edge. Dr. Daniels was recognized at the Howard Bison Blue Carpet Awards (2023) for her contributions to Howard Athletics in addition to a host of other awards. Alva L Champion-Amaker, M.Ed., CAA, AIC, CCT is a veteran educator and consultant with over 25 years of experience across health, athletics, and community education. Alva has professionally served as a high school educator, athletic administrator, basketball official, and emergency medical technician. She is CEO of A&A Athletic Consulting, LLC and Vigilance Safety Training Center. Her company is an ImPACT Concussion testing agency, NOCTI and Emergency Care and Safety Institute Training Facility. George McClure, II graduated from the University of Maryland-College Park B.S. in Physical Education/Kinesiology. He received a Masters in Educational Administration from Bowie State University. He currently works in Prince George’s County Public Schools and has held positions as a PE Teacher, Athletic Director and most presently serves as a Supervisor of Athletics. He has also served as the Boys Basketball Coach at several high schools. His accomplishments include being Northwestern High School Coach of the Year, Washington Post PGC Boys Basketball Coach of they Year, and PGC Athletic Director of the Year. Shirley Diggs has been in education for over 40 years as a teacher, coach and athletic director and now as the Coordinating Supervisor of Interscholastic Athletics for Prince George’s County Public Schools. She has been a coach for track and volleyball since 1980. She also became the Coach of the Year two years through the PG Gazette. #headtospeech #athleticadministration #athletictrainers #SportsPsychotherapist #MentalPerformance #playersafety #sportscoaches #athleticdirectors #athleticadministrators

Congratulations again to our 2024 Head to Speech Performance Honorees! Renee Latino, is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who serves former National Football League (NFL) players referred to the Professional Athlete Care Team Clinic (PACT) at Tulane University Center for Sport by providing cognitive-communication evaluations, education and follow-up care. Jordan Kalfon has dedicated his career to supporting athletes in the realms of sports management, operations and player development. His experience has included working at Upper Edge Sports Management in Ashburn, VA, as a Recruiting Specialist and Marketing Assistant. Jordan focused on educating athletes about NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) regulations, helping them navigate the opportunities these rules provide. Kalfon also assisted in enhancing athlete-community relations and establishing strategic brand partnerships. His experience also includes being an Assistant Director of Football Operations at Bucknell University and 4 years in recruiting at Penn State University. Jordan volunteers as a recruiting consultant within the community and actively participates in the Washington, D.C. Chapter of The Sports Philanthropy Network. He supports Head to Speech in their efforts to reach as many players amd their support systems as possible within the football world. Sharisse May is a Doctoral Candidate pursuing an Ed.D. in Sports Leadership and Administration at Concordia University Chicago. She wears several position hats, such as the Director for Trinity Training Professionals (TTP), a certified cognitive skills assessment and training practitioner for academic and athletic performance enhancement, and athletic trainer. She is also a dance-based fitness instructor, College of Southern Maryland (CSM) cognitive specialist assistant baseball coach, and youth soccer coach for Soccer Shots. Furthermore, Sharisse is the Director of Educational Outreach for Sports Management Worldwide (SMWW), Queens on Greens Foundation, Inc. (women's golf organization), golf tournament committee member, and a daily hire (freelancer) for ABC News Washington Bureau as an On-air Electronic Graphics Operator. Sharisse loves to help people to strive to reach their fullest potential by utilizing her experience and background to design enterprise-wide training, learning, and development programs for colleges or professional sports leagues, industry-related business, or organizations. If you know someone who supports athlete development or brain health, sports and fitness performance, please nominate them for our next Awards Luncheon by emailing info@headtospeech.org.