Community outreach includes Cowboys’ clinic
UT Southwestern Medical Center’s ongoing educational and outreach efforts for coaches and trainers in regard to concussion awareness are extensive. On July 27, for example, Dr. Hunt Batjer presented the latest information and recommendations on concussions to approximately 500 youth, middle-, and high-school football coaches at the Dallas Cowboys’ annual Coaches Clinic at AT&T Stadium.
Dr. Batjer, Chairman of Neurological Surgery, is one of the world’s leading authorities on sports-related head injuries. Dr. Batjer is also President of the Neurosurgical Society of America and co-chair of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee. He has been a major force in the NFL’s efforts to raise awareness on concussions and bring practical tactics to the field, as co-chair of its concussion committee.
The Coaches Clinic, presented by UT Southwestern and the Texas Institute for Brain Injury and Repair, included presentations from the Cowboys’ offensive, defensive, and special teams staff about on-field fundamentals. Dr. Batjer, along with former NFL player and coach Mike Singletary, spoke about concussion recognition and prevention. Former Cowboy Tony Casillas also spoke about USA Football’s Heads Up Football platform – an NFL effort to make football a better and safer game.
“UT Southwestern’s Texas Institute for Brain Injury and Repair engages the community to better understand and prevent the devastating effects of brain injury,” said Dr. Batjer. “Partnering with the Dallas Cowboys on the Youth Coaches Clinic is a valuable opportunity to reach out to coaches, who are teaching the next generation of athletes about the importance of concussion prevention and treatment.”
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Dr. Batjer holds the Lois C.A. and Darwin E. Smith Distinguished Chair in Neurological Surgery.