By ANNE GREGORY
Media Relations, Manchester University

NORTH MANCHESTER — In order to reduce concussions and help young athletes know what to do about its symptoms, Manchester University has joined the Concussion Legacy Foundation to offer free Team Up sessions at area schools, parent organizations, recreation leagues and others to provide this education.

Team Up offers fun, interactive programs for students in grades 4-12 about concussions, using discussions, videos and games. The sessions, offered at no charge, are conducted by Manchester athletic training faculty, staff and students, specially trained as members of MU’s new “Team Up Against Concussion” chapter.

“Our goal is to help provide student-athletes, parents and coaches with knowledge about concussions and foster a new culture in sports that is safe,” said MU Assistant Athletic Trainer Zachary J. Dougal. In the outreach program, trained volunteers teach student athletes that successful athletes play hard and play smart.

As a foundation chapter, Manchester is one of only 12 partner universities in the United States and the only one in Indiana with a clear endorsement from the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a well-respected research foundation (www.concussionfoundation.org).

For more information about this effort, contact Zachary Dougal, who is an assistant professor and clinical education coordinator at the MU College of Pharmacy, Natural and Health Sciences. He can be reached via email and [email protected].