HS Student Turns Down Football Scholarships, Cites CTE Concerns
High School Student Turns Down 12 Football Scholarships After Watching “Concussion”
As revelations surrounding the film Concussion, which explores the relationship between football and CTE, continue to make waves across the NFL, one high school student has turned down 12 football scholarships.
John Castello of Mars High School in Pittsburgh decided that his health is more important than any of those opportunities.
“The head injuries were a huge reason for my decision, I’ve liked both football and basketball for some time,” Castello said. “I wasn’t totally sure what I wanted to do. Then, that movie Concussion came out and some interviews came out. I watched one interview with Dr. [Bennett] Omalu where he was talking about [former Pittsburgh Steelers center] Mike Webster. After watching that, I said it’s not worth it. Yeah, it would be free college. But your whole life is in jeopardy. You’re putting your body in harm’s way every single week. It was definitely a tough choice, but I think I made the right choice.”
Instead of continuing his athletic career as a tight end, he opted to pursue basketball and has even received an offer from Shippensburg University, an NCAA Division II school.
Rob Carmody, Castello’s basketball coach, thinks more schools will start offering the student scholarships once they realize he’s not interested in football.
Could this become the new trend?
- Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2025
- The 50 Hottest, Flyest & Sexiest Looks from Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Tour
- US Embassy Official Told Trump’s South African Refugee Program Is For White People Only, New Report Says
- Celebs Who Turn 50 This Year
- Urban One Radiothon For St. Jude Kids Raises $1.6 Million
SOURCE: The Root, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | PHOTO CREDIT: Twitter
High School Student Turns Down 12 Football Scholarships After Watching “Concussion” was originally published on globalgrind.com