Tiger-Cats to help teach players to play smart & safe

Brains & Brawn: Safe Skills Football Camp coming to London

London, Ontario – On Monday, April 21, aspiring young athletes are invited to join CFL football pros on the field at BMO Centre in London to improve their skills and prevent concussion. Brains & Brawn will bring young athletes, aged 10-15, together with pros, Andy Fantuz and Brian Bulcke of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for an innovative new one-day football skills camp.

Pro athletes will teach minor football players fundamental football skills designed to improve their game. Young players will also be educated on how to reduce the risk of brain injuries in this upcoming season. Coaches and parents are welcome to attend and will also be offered a free clinic to learn the most up-to-date strategies to keep young players safe.

The camp is being held thanks to a partnership between Sports Legacy Institute (SLI) Canada and Children’s Health Foundation.

During the camp, a brain safety presentation, which is part of the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI) Canada Community Educators (SLICE) program, will teach young athletes about concussion symptoms and what to do if those symptoms develop. 93% of previous presentation attendees said they are more likely to tell a coach if they suspect a concussion because of SLICE. The first Canadian SLICE Chapter was founded in February 2013 at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON.

“This camp presents a unique opportunity for young athletes to learn how to play smart football from the pros and to best protect themselves in this upcoming season. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Children’s Health Foundation deserve recognition for taking a leadership role on the issue of brain injuries in minor football. This event will serve as a catalyst to achieve the required culture change in sport that will make contact sports sustainable. Football is about teaching discipline, sacrifice, teamwork, and leadership. We want to create a safe environment for young athletes to learn these important life-lessons,” said Tim Fleiszer, Executive Director of Sports Legacy Institute Canada.

For more information, or to register go to childhealth.ca/events.

Sports Legacy Institute Canada

The Sports Legacy Institute (SLI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in June 2007 by concussion expert Dr. Robert Cantu, MD, and former Harvard football player and WWE professional wrestler, Chris Nowinski, to “solve the concussion crisis”. The Sports Legacy Institute Canada, the non-profit’s first international chapter, was founded in December 2012 by Nowinski’s college teammate and former CFL player, Tim Fleiszer.

Children’s Health Foundation

Children’s Health Foundation is dedicated to raising and granting funds to support Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, Thames Valley Children’s Centre and Children’s Health Research Institute.Since 1922, funds raised have helped deliver exceptional care and support for children and their families by providing specialized paediatric care, equipment, education programs, therapy, rehabilitation services and research. To learn more about how you can positively impact the health of children, youth and their families, please visit www.childhealth.ca.