EDITORIAL

Though perhaps not as clear as everyone had hoped, the verdict is in

on the death of Costa Mesa High School football player Matt Colby. The

senior died because of bleeding and swelling of the brain caused by

repeated blunt-force injuries to the head, the county coroner’s

department determined.

Colby died at the hospital where he was taken after collapsing on the

sidelines during a Sept. 28 football game against Ocean View High. Last

week, more than two months after his death, the coroner determined Colby

had suffered at least two head injuries over several days.

Colby did not partake in contact drills in practice the week before

the Ocean View game because of fatigue and headaches from the two

previous games.

A family physician cleared Colby to play in the Sept. 28 game.

What it comes down to is this, Colby most likely died of what’s known

as second-impact syndrome, which occurs when someone suffers a head

injury and then another similar injury before the first one heals.

While there are no assurances that Colby’s first injury would have

healed were he to have sat out a game, it would have been a safe call to

make, especially considering that he was told to avoid contact in

practices that week.

A district investigation into the death will hopefully shed light on

the procedures and policies that were followed, or not followed, after

his injury. Perhaps we will all learn something from this tragic event.

Nonetheless, we urge the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to

assure parents and the public that extra precautions will now be taken in

light of Colby’s death.

We are talking about children here, after all, children who are in

danger of suffering a concussion or any other head injury during contact

sports. Such injuries are delicate, and it’s always better to err on the

safe side.

Considering Colby was prevented from performing contact drills, it

would have been wise to sit out a game as well. If a player suffers a

head injury during a game of any sport, he or she should not return to

the game and should not return to play for more than a week.

It may also be wise to seek more than one doctor’s opinion and to

require additional testing on head injuries.

Death at such a young age can be avoided, especially when preventive

measures may save such lives. No matter what, district officials need to

begin these discussion now.

It just may save a young life.