Interview

Grant Glennon

ENC 2135

Maddie Kahl

6 February 2018

Experience with CTE

Grant: It’s on! Name?

Joshua: Joshua Chatman, Assistant Athletic Trainer at Florida State university.

Grant: From?

Joshua: Chicago Illinois.

Grant: Experience prior to current job?

Joshua: Undergrad at University of Illinois, Graduate work done at the University of Florida and then started working with collegiate football teams.

Grant: Experience with head injuries?

Joshua: Position here is director of concussion management so I am actually getting more training as we speak, but have been studying concussions for the past couple of years.

Grant: Specifically, CTE?

Joshua: As of right now since CTE is still getting developed, well still getting found out, I think someone in my position wouldn’t have too much experience, however since you see a lot of older retired players who have had it one they have done the autopsy or what not. Last year when Arron Hernandez brain was donated to science it was seen that he had advanced stages of CTE which was shocking because I worked with him as a collegiate athlete and you would never guess that someone that young would have advanced stages of CTE.

Grant: What do you see most common with head injuries?

Joshua: Technique is something you see most common with head injuries. The way a tackle’s is very important for his or her safety. With safety rules made over the past couple of years it seems to be getting better. I have seen a lot of player go down and have been able to treat them fast with brain training. Strengthening of the brain in various ways can improve the rate in which a player gets better. Basically, brain games.

Grant: This is pretty vague, but how serious are head injuries?

Joshua: Very! There isn’t a cookie cutter approach. People say how many concussions until it’s time for me to stop. Some people say 5-6 some say 2-3 it all depends. Basketball we had a kid who suffered from one concussion that he got from a car accident and had to take 2 years off. Some players can recover much quicker than other so it all varies on the individual.

Grant: Do you think that guys with let’s say 6-7 concussions are more prone to getting CTE?

Joshua: I want to say that I read that it’s not much about concussions that relate to CTE its more of an individual problem. But the actual hit to the head may not cause a concussion but however stir up CTE. After more research they will soon be able to answer that question.

Grant: On my research, that is was I found as well. Couldn’t seem to find too much information on that subject.

Joshua: Not all head injuries can cause a concussion or CTE. But it definitely is the driving factor.

Grant: Treatment options?

Joshua: Well since the person who is infected is dead when he or she is diagnosed, there isn’t too much we can do. Now we can take care of their symptoms individually with concussion like protocol. Plenty of testing is involved.

Grant: If someone down the road thinks they have CTE what should they do?

Joshua: Take a guy like Jim McMann, who had all of the symptoms but they found that it was a fluid buildup in his spine that was causing these symptoms. So, it isn’t always what you think it is at first. There can be an unknown number of things going on that you don’t know about.

Grant: Brett Favre for example is still living obviously but he claims to be affected by CTE.

Joshua: We will have to see!