The Concussion Crisis: Chris Nowinski to Speak at Gilman on Oct. 9

Former Harvard football player turned WWE professional wrestler Chris Nowinski, now a nationally-known advocate for concussion awareness, prevention, and research in athletes, will visit Gilman School on Thursday, October 9, 2014, to talk with students, parents, and coaches. His talk at 7 p.m. in Alumni Auditorium is free and open to the community.

Nowinski is the co-founder and executive director of the Boston-based Sports Legacy Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to solving the sports concussion crisis through education, policy, and research. He also co-founded the Boston University CTE Center and works on concussion committees formed by the NFL Players Association, the Ivy League, Major League Lacrosse, and other organizations. His personal experience with brain trauma forced him to retire from WWE and led him to write the critically acclaimed book Head Games: Football’s Concussion Crisis in 2006, which is now in its 3rd edition as Head Games: the Global Concussion Crisis and was adapted for the documentary film Head Games in 2012.

Nowinski has been featured in The New York Times, Boston Globe, Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, and has been the subject of many broadcast profiles, including on ESPN, CNN, ABC’s Nightline, PBS/FRONTLINE, and HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

At Gilman, Nowinski will talk with students during the school day and plans to meet with the school’s athletic director and several coaches to review Gilman’s concussion-related policies.

“Gilman’s top priority is to keep our students safe and to ensure our coaches, officials, parents, and athletes are continually informed about the severity and dangers of head injuries in athletics,” said Gilman’s Director of Athletics Tim Holley ‘77. “We welcome the opportunity for Chris to share his personal story with our community in an effort to increase awareness about this serious health issue that’s impacting athletes at all levels, from professional programs down to our youngest players.”

“Concussions can derail a student-athlete’s promising athletic and academic career, with the possibility of both immediate and long-term consequences. I’m thrilled to have been invited by Gilman School help athletes, coaches, and athletes play smarter, safer sports and collaborate with the school to remain on the cutting edge of concussion safety,” said Nowinski.

Please RSVP for the lecture here.