TACKLED - THE IMMERSION OF SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION INTO THE REALM OF HIGH COLLISION SPORTS

Abstract

Imagine a day when social work is tackled by high collision sports. Athletes actually seek services from social workers because social work profession is thoroughly immersed in the realm of these sports. Presently, that image is just that – a remote idea that, if realized, would alter the landscape of the field of mental health, for the benefit of professional athletes who play high collision sports. Undergirding this paper is a case study of a professional athlete who experienced the worst case of sports-related brain damage presently documented. This paper includes a detailed analysis of social work core values as applied to athletes. As well, mental illness and psychosocial factors, specific to athletes is analyzed. Ultimately, this paper seeks to explore the social workers’ role in serving the mental health needs of an unconventional clientele – professional athletes in high collision sports

Keywords

• athletes, social work profession, mental illness, early-onset dementia

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