On this episode of HEADCHECK Health Talks, we’re joined by Kiara Jefferies, President of the North Bay & District Girls Hockey Association.

Kiara discusses minor hockey leadership, putting player safety first, and building a strong, respectful culture. She also touches on day-to-day operations, volunteer burnout, tough board decisions, and balancing long-term vision with immediate challenges.

In this episode of HEADCHECK Health Talk, researchers Kaleigh Pennock and Braeden McKenzie join the show to discuss their new study on concussion (mis)education, youth athlete responsibility, and why knowing the signs and symptoms doesn’t always lead to safer choices.

We dig into fear-based messaging, ethical implications, and what meaningful, equitable concussion prevention in sport should actually look like.

In this episode of HEADCHECK Health Talks, we're joined by EOJHL Commissioner Marc Franche. Marc discusses his career journey, daily responsibilities as a league commissioner, and tough decisions he has to make. We cover league leadership, player safety, concussion protocols, handling discipline, and how he stays passionate about his work.

In this episode of HEADCHECK Health Talks, host Eric VanderHelm is joined by former OHL player Ben Fanelli to share his remarkable journey from a near-fatal head injury to becoming a leading voice in athlete well-being. After rebuilding his life beyond hockey, Ben founded the Heroic Minds platform, pursued psychotherapy, and now supports players across major Canadian leagues as an Advisor of Player Well-Being. We explore resilience, identity, concussion recovery and how to build a healthier culture in youth sport. Ben opens up about the pressures young athletes face, the hidden emotional toll of injuries, and what it truly takes to become the hero of your own story.

Discover Heroic Minds here: https://www.heroicminds.live/

In this episode of HEADCHECK Health Talks, host Eric VanderHelm sits down with athletic therapist and educator Tristan Sandhu.

We talk with Tristan about his experience working as an athletic trainer in the CFL, his approach injury prevention and treatment, advice for future ATs, and how HEADCHECK helped make his job easier.

✅ Join Tristan for an amazing educational conference the Impact to Recovery: Concussion in Sport Virtual Conference Presented by HEADCHECK HEALTH!

⬇️ 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/9eu3u9dn

📆 Sunday Dec 14th 10:00 am - 2:00 pm EST

🧠 The conference will be a day of learning from experts in their fields

🚀 Designed to give you practical skills to use with your patients

💵 High Quality, Low Cost CEU Opportunity

Agenda (All Times EST)

10:00 am - 10:30 am - Speaker 1: Melissa Biscardi - A Look Inside: Eye Movements in Concussion Assessment and Rehab

10:30 am - 11:00 am - Speaker 2: Dr. Bob McCormack - Concussions in Sport, What You Need to Know & What Is New

11:00 am - 11:30 am - Speaker 3: Kosta Ikonomou - Beyond the 7-10 Days, When Concussion Symptoms Persist

11:30 am - Noon: Speaker 4: Dr. Johna Register-Mihalik - Innovations and Iterations in Concussion Rehabilitation

Noon - 12:15 pm - Break

12:15 pm - 12:45 pm - Speaker 5: Sonia Vovan - The Dizzy Brain: Vestibular Considerations Post-Concussion

12 45 pm - 1:15 pm - Speaker 6: Dr. Katie Mitchell - Topic: (Re)Integrate: Multimodal progressions for return to sport and physical activity following concussion

1:15pm - 1:45 pm - Speaker 7: Harrison Brown - Topic: Concussions in Context: What Every AT Should Know from the Data

In this episode of HEADCHECK Health Talks, host Eric VanderHelm sits down with research fellow Sophie Prosser from the University of Birmingham to discuss biomarker variability following concussion.

We talk with Sophie about her latest study on NfL and GFAP biomarkers in university athletes post-concussion and how these proteins could shape future return-to-play decisions. Additionally, Sophie discusses the role of HEADCHECK in her work, and how the MoveWell Clinic is changing the game in concussion care.

Timestamps:

0:31 - Intro to Sophie and her research

3:05 - What are NfL and GFAP proteins?

5:32 - What do the study results tell us about concussion recovery?

13:18 - How close are we to being able to supplement sideline tests with objective data?

16:21 - How can considering different factors such as menstrual cycle refine concussion diagnosis?

18:30 - How does using HEADCHECK help current or future research?

19:54 - What is the MoveWell clinic?

21:30 - What is the goal of the clinic?

24:12 - What makes MoveWell unique?

25:28 - Is there a correlation between Alzheimer's and concussions?

31:18 - Final thoughts from Sophie

Send questions or feedback: [email protected]

Learn more about HEADCHECK Health: https://www.headcheckhealth.com

Get started with a free HEADCHECK account: https://www.headcheckhealth.com/produ...

What is HEADCHECK Health Talks?

From the field to the boardroom: Expand your knowledge on how to put injury protocols into practice. Join host Eric VanderHelm (5+ years of experience collaborating with sports organizations) as he chats with leading concussion experts, researchers, medical professionals, administrators, sports executives, and more. Get expert insights, best practices, and real-world strategies to implement effective injury protocols, with a specific focus on concussions.

About HEADCHECK Health

HEADCHECK launched in 2013 from a concussion research lab to tackle a critical challenge: simplifying the implementation of concussion protocols. Since its inception, HEADCHECK’s digital platform has been embraced by thousands of organizations and their expert medical personnel, including Major League Soccer, the Canadian Football League, and USA Cycling. HEADCHECK is a trusted partner of the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) and includes the officially approved digital SCAT6® tools to enhance concussion management.

In this episode of HEADCHECK Health Talks, host Eric VanderHelm sits down with Dr. James Stavitz from Kean University to discuss critical gaps in concussion care at the high school level.

With growing awareness around brain injuries in youth sports, why do so many schools still lack proper protocols, staffing, or resources? Dr. Stavitz shares insights from his research and experience, highlighting where schools are falling short, and what needs to change to better protect student-athletes. Whether you're a parent, coach, healthcare professional, or educator, this episode offers a crucial look into the state of concussion care and what we can do to improve it.

Timestamps:

2:58 Current state of concussion management in high school athletics

5:09 Balancing standardization with AT autonomy

6:38 External forces impacting AT's ability to manage concussions

9:02 Is concussion education enough?

10:34 How schools can build better relationships with HCPs

14:45 Practical steps for schools with limited resources

17:16 The psychological impact of having a clear protocol

18:46 How a multifaceted approach improves outcomes

21:28 What policy changes should be implemented

25:10 Message to Athletic Directors

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Learn more about HEADCHECK Health: https://www.headcheckhealth.com

Get started with a free HEADCHECK account: https://www.headcheckhealth.com/products/

What is HEADCHECK Health Talks?

From the field to the boardroom: Expand your knowledge on how to put injury protocols into practice. Join host Eric VanderHelm (5+ years of experience collaborating with sports organizations) as he chats with leading concussion experts, researchers, medical professionals, administrators, sports executives, and more. Get expert insights, best practices, and real-world strategies to implement effective injury protocols, with a specific focus on concussions.

About HEADCHECK Health

HEADCHECK launched in 2013 from a concussion research lab to tackle a critical challenge: simplifying the implementation of concussion protocols. Since its inception, HEADCHECK’s digital platform has been embraced by thousands of organizations and their expert medical personnel, including Major League Soccer, the Canadian Football League, and USA Cycling. HEADCHECK is a trusted partner of the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) and includes the officially approved digital SCAT6® tools to enhance concussion management.

A preview of our first episode where Dr. James Stavitz joins us to discuss the critical gaps in high school concussion care uncovered in his research.