NYSSWA: New York State Sportswriters Association

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There were a couple of stories of particular interest from the North Country that were brought to my attention over the weekend and are worth checking out when you have a spare moment.

The first, from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, contains news of a concussion study that will be conducted at 14 schools, including Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Lake Placid.

What caught my attention in particular was Lou Reuter's lead: " 'You’ll be fine. You just got your bell rung.' That’s a phrase Aaron Rosenbaum doesn’t want to hear . . . "

Rosenbaum, a post-graduate student at Penn State, has a goal of getting athletes, coaches and parents to understand concussions and the appropriate treatment for those who are injured. Rosenbaum is nothing if not ambitious. His first step is to contact the families of all 5,000 students (athletes or otherwise) at the 14 schools to obtain permission to distribute his survey.

The other item that I wanted to mention was a nice combination of storytelling and reporting from Matt Middleton of The Post-Star in Glens Falls.

Matt captured the flavor and emotion in the decision by officials of the Long Lake and Indian Lake school districts to fully merge their sports teams beginning this fall.

Long Lake and Indian Lake are the 20th and 22nd largest (out of 26) schools in Section 7 and just about the smallest anywhere in New York with their own athletic programs --

until now. Combined, their enrollment figure for the purposes of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association -- not to be confused with actiual enrollment -- will still amount to only about 100 students.

While that figure may dwarf Westport or Schroon Lake, it still makes for a tiny program; it's a reasonable bet they'll be the smallest school in the field just about any time they make it to a future state tournament. But merging is a necessity if the two communities, about 18 miles apart along Route 28, want to maintain an athletic program.

Consider this: Long Lake's graduating class this spring will consist of four students.

Briefly: The Post-Standard reports that Fulton senior John Czeck, a soccer and lacrosse player, remains in critical condition following Thursday's car-motorcycle crash. Czeck had just left school when his 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle collided with a car. . . . We now expect to release the NYSSWA's 2007 all-state boys basketball team in the weekly newsletter dated April 29. Selections should be available online May 3. . . . Multiple reports indicate that St. Anthony's 9-8 boys lacrosse win over Chaminade in overtime on Wednesday was a genuine classic. They'll meet at least once more, with a playoff rematch also likely.

9/10/24: Regents table vote on expanding mixed competition

9/9/24: Shot clock experiment will change lacrosse

9/7/24: Garden City sets L.I. football record

9/6/24: Lawsuit takes aim at N.C.'s NIL ban

9/5/24: New York's Week 0 football intrigue