Many players do not report concussions due to lack of knowledge, failure to understand the risks, fear of letting their team down, or determination to play through any challenge or pain.

Concussions can be very difficult to fully recognize in the heat of a contest.

High school athletes are slower to recover from concussions than older players.

A concussion may not be fully healed, even after an athlete thinks that symptoms are gone.

Players who return to contact before a concussion is fully healed run the risk of prolonging symptoms or even suffering catastrophic injury (Second Impact Syndrome).