Student athletes of all seasons attended the Chemical Health meeting on Thursday, September 28. In terms of attendance, the meeting was a succes, drawing over one thousand students and parents, which is higher than past Chemical Health Night attendance rates. Chris Herren, former NBA basketball player and previous Fall River resident, proved to be an excellent speaker for the event, as did Dr. Luke Oh of Mass General.
Herren shared his struggle with drug use and how it interfered with his life as a professional athlete. Through his story, Herren explained to the athletes that he, like most teenagers, believed he would never go down the path of substance abuse. His struggle impacted every aspect of his life including his career, his marriage, and his children. To reinforce his point, Herren singled out students in the crowd who were talking and laughing and said he was once like them, making his past even more relatable to the student body. Herren pointed up to the stands where the students were and explained that once he also ignored all prior warnings of the dangers of substance abuse. He condemned the popular notion of “it will never happen to me,” by sharing his personal experience and explaining that he once thought that way as well. Herren showed that though not everyone may suffer the way he did, his story could still be related to and understood by teenagers because of his involvement with drinking and drugs in high school. He explained that peer pressure, a major issue among high school students, played a major role in his beginning with substances. Herren’s introduction to drugs and alcohol in high school is what makes his story very relatable to athletes and students in general.
When Herren finished his story, he received a standing ovation from everyone in the auditorium. Several students agreed that the 2011 Chemical Health night was by far the most successful in terms of the speaker. Athletic Director William Tompkins believes that all of the speakers in the past three years have been successful, but described “[Herren’s speech] as top-notch.” Students found Herren’s story very relatable and inspiring because of his past as an athlete and his ability to recover from his addiction. Sam McChesney, a junior on the cheerleading team, said “[Herren’s story] was a tear-jerker.” Overall, Herren’s presence at the Chemical Health meeting seemed to have a significant impact on student athletes who considered it relevant, legitimate, and inspiring.
Following Herren was Dr. Oh of Mass General with a powerpoint about sports injuries. Viewers were informed about crucial information relating to concussions, as well as the many dangerous outcomes of head injuries that go unchecked. He explained the dire importance of concussion tests required in schools all over the United States. Oh’s presentation and slideshow was enlightening as well as beneficial for student athletes to hear. Senior Alex Wong said Oh’s presentation was “very informative” because of the detail that Oh used described the aftermath of sports related injuries.
The speakers were skilled, attendance was impressive, and athletes left the chemical health meeting with a greater understanding of what was presented. Athletic Director, Coach Tompkins, and the student body considered Chemical Health night 2011 to be a great success.
