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In terms of encouraging news, the survey suggests a cultural paradigm shift in terms of young athletes hiding their concussion symptoms. More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of those aged 18-34 year said a responsible adult was aware of their injury when it happened, compared with 61 per cent of those aged 35­-54 and fewer than half (45 per cent) of those 55 and older.

“But there’s still some room for improvement,” Kurl said. “There is a sense at the national level that coaches and trainers are not necessarily well equipped to handle a situation on the sidelines if a young player is concussed. There is an uncertainty and a lack of confidence in general in the judgment of people on the sidelines.”

Ottawa teenager Rowan Stringer died on May 12, 2013, after suffering two concussions within a week while playing high school rugby. There was no formal concussion protocol in place at the time.

“Nothing can stop me!” Rowan wrote in a text message to her best friend the night before the game that would end her life. “Unless, I’m dead.”

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Her death triggered a coroner’s inquest that cast a harsh light on youth sport concussion protocols in Canada. The first of the jury’s 49 recommendations, released in June, called for Ontario to adopt “Rowan’s Law,” an act governing the management of youth concussions in all sports.

A “Rowan’s Law” bill ­ calling for the creation of a committee to determine how best to act on those recommendations within a year received unanimous passage through second reading last week in the Ontario legislature. Third and final reading is expected by next May.