Second Impact

Sports Science and Second Impact from E60 on Vimeo.

Last November, LaSalle University in Philadelphia settled a multi-million dollar civil lawsuit brought by a former football player. His name is Preston Plevretes, and his story highlights in vivid detail the dangers of athletes playing with concussions that have not yet healed.

The 24-year-old suffered a devastating brain injury, called Second Impact Syndrome, more than four years ago. His story highlights the need for athletic programs to treat brain injuries seriously.

To examine exactly what happened when Plevretes was hit by a Duquesne University player back on November 5, 2005, E:60 reporter Tom Farrey traveled to the Sport Science lab in Burbank, CA and met with John Brenkus. Farrey brought that actual helmet Plevretes was wearing in that game. Brenkus and his team analyzed the play that nearly killed the six-foot-two, 230-pound linebacker. They recreated the forces at work by having Jamal Allen, a former San Jose State football player, strike a crash test dummy approximately the same height and weight as Plevretes.

To learn about what Sport Science found, tune in on May 4, 2010, to ESPN’s primetime newsmagazine, E:60, to watch Preston Plevretes’ compelling story of lessons learned.