Patrick Risha CTE Awareness Foundation

09/02/2026

Football kills. Why are schools still allowing this to continue?

Adam Massman, 17, is remembered for his love of sports, family and showing cattle after he died following an injury during a football game.

09/01/2026

Youth football hits are not “light” hits. Research indicates that the average head acceleration from a youth football hit is comparable to that seen in college football. Although kids may be smaller, the forces reaching their brains remain substantial.

The solution lies in prevention. Children exposed to repetitive head impacts are developing CTE, with the youngest known case now at 15 years old. If repetitive head impacts lead to CTE, prevention must begin by reducing these impacts before the disease can develop.

CTE can only be diagnosed after death through brain donation. When a child passes away, families are overwhelmed with unimaginable grief, making brain donation a difficult consideration for most parents. Consequently, only a small number of athletes under 18 have had their brains studied.

The safest way to prevent CTE is to Stop Hitting Kids in the Head.

Visit our website at www.stopcte.org to learn more.

08/31/2026

It shouldn’t be a surprise.

The latest study on CTE in football players “quantifies but does not reveal a problem,” writes Emily Harrison, a historian who studies brain injury in football.

08/31/2026

What are we teaching our kids to do after a head hit?

Get back in the game?

Or speak up?

When a child takes a hit to the head, the message they receive from the adults around them matters.

If we teach them to hide symptoms, shake it off, or “tough it out,” we may be teaching them to ignore the very signals meant to protect their brain.

Speaking up isn’t weakness.

Protecting your brain is part of being an athlete.

The culture starts with us.

Learn more, explore the research, and help bring brain health to the forefront of youth sports.

Visit StopCTE.org to learn more, access educational resources, and become part of the movement to protect today’s athletes and future generations.

08/29/2026

We celebrate the big hit.
We replay the tackle.
We share the clip.
We praise the toughness.

But behind every highlight is a kid who has to live with the brain they’re given.

The goal isn’t to raise the toughest athlete.

It’s to help raise an athlete who gets to be healthy long after the highlights are over.

Because the game ends.

Their brain doesn’t.

Help us spread awareness about this PREVENTABLE DISEASE!

Visit our website at www.stopcte.org to learn more.

08/27/2026

08/25/2026

A new study is raising serious questions about the long-term impact of football on brain health.

Researchers found that at least 1 in 4 former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head impacts. And researchers say that number may actually underestimate how common the disease is.

One of the biggest takeaways: prevention needs to start long before athletes reach the NFL. Reducing repetitive head impacts, limiting contact during practices and taking a closer look at when children begin tackle football could all play an important role in protecting athletes over the course of their lives.

This is an important conversation for athletes, coaches and especially parents of young players.

📖 Read the full New York Times article here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/us/cte-prevention-youth-football.html

Knowledge and prevention matter.

08/24/2026

Great coaching goes beyond the game, it starts with understanding the brain and brain safe coaching.

At StopCTE.org, Harvard neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Daneshvar breaks down what repeated hits really do to your athletes over time. Not just concussions. Every hit. Get informed. Coach smarter. Protect the ones you lead.

Harvard Medical School

08/24/2026

For some athletes, the game isn’t just something they play.

It’s who they are.

Then one day, the jersey comes off for the last time.

No practices.
No teammates.
No game days.

So who are you when the sport that defined you is gone?

Life after sports can bring challenges of its own especially when brain health, mood, behavior, or identity are part of the conversation.

Because you’re more than your statistics.

The athlete may retire. The person doesn’t.

And that person deserves a healthy future beyond the game.

Because CTE doesn’t retire when the athlete does and neither should our commitment to understanding what happens to the brain after the game.

Learn how you can help stop CTE. Visit our website to learn more www.stopcte.org

👉🏼 Follow Patrick Risha CTE Awareness

08/21/2026

This is the premier summit on gathering together to make change in the CTE / RHI landscape. If you care, be there.

We are honored to welcome Robert Gallery, College Football Hall of Fame Inductee, former NFL offensive lineman, and President & Co-Founder of Athletes For Care, as the Keynote Speaker at the 3rd Annual International Summit on Repetitive Brain Trauma.

📅 September 16–17, 2026, Tampa, FL

Robert Gallery is a former NFL offensive lineman who played eight seasons in the league, enduring severe brain damage from hundreds of concussions and battling alcohol dependency. His powerful personal journey of healing through innovative ibogaine treatment led him to co-found Athletes For Care, where he now works to support former athletes facing challenges such as injuries, chronic pain, and substance use recovery.
As a passionate advocate for innovative approaches to healing and recovery, Robert’s story and expertise inspire others to seek solutions for the long-term effects of repetitive brain trauma.

🎟️ Tickets are now available!
👉 Secure your spot today: https://subconcussivesummit.com/ticket-purchase

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Robert Gallery and join us in advancing the conversation around brain health, healing, and meaningful change.
Athletes for CARE