Episode Details
Back to EpisodesWhat Every Hockey Parent Needs to Know About Concussions
Description
🧠 Concussions can be one of the most misunderstood injuries in youth hockey — and one of the most important for families to understand.
In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee, Mike, and Christie are joined by Dr. Robert Baric, founder of MyConcussionDoctor.com, for a practical, eye-opening conversation about concussion awareness, brain health, and what hockey parents really need to know.
This isn’t about fear. It’s about being informed.
Dr. Baric breaks down what a concussion actually is, why symptoms can be subtle, how head injuries can happen both on and off the ice, and why parents need to trust their instincts when something feels off. The crew also dives into return-to-play decisions, protective equipment, the role of neck strength, and why no game is worth risking a child’s future.
In this episode:
- 🏒 What a concussion really is — and why it’s not always obvious
- 👀 Signs and symptoms parents should watch for after a hit or fall
- 🧩 Why multitasking, balance, and behavior changes can reveal a problem
- ⏳ How concussion symptoms can show up later, not just immediately
- 🛑 Why “shake it off” is the wrong mindset in youth sports
- 🧠 What parents and coaches should know about return-to-play protocol
- 💪 How neck strengthening and overall brain health may help reduce risk
- ⭐ Why Sidney Crosby helped change the concussion conversation in hockey
This is one of those episodes every hockey family should hear — because the information you learn today could help protect a player tomorrow.
Have fun, skate hard, stay safe, and keep learning.
#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyParents #ConcussionAwareness #BrainHealth #SportsSafety #YouthSports #HockeySafety #ConcussionProtocol #ReturnToPlay #ParentingAthletes #DrRobertBaric
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph
Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!
Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!
Follow Us On Social Media: