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As I started to delve into the subject of brain trauma, one thing became immediately apparent – I needed a professional. Whilst citing studies would provide some interesting insight, there remained specific questions that needed answers in order to make my documentary effective in achieving its goal of influencing real change within the sport of boxing.
After some searching, I came across the SCORES project, an independent research study designed to better understand the cognitive health of former professional football players as they age. Despite the study being specifically focused on football, there were a number of firm links between their research and my aims for Fight Smart.
For example, heading a football is what would be considered a sub-concussive blow to the head, much like many of the punches landed whilst sparring. One of the main questions that I wanted to drive my research was whether repeated sub-concussive blows could still lead to a serious brain trauma, which I was confident a member of the SCORES team could answer for me.
Having reached out to the project, I managed to secure an interview with Ellen Boucher, a PHD student who is responsible for the study. Ellen has a background in neuropsychology and neuroscience, which coupled with her experience within sport made her an invaluable interviewee for my documentary.
During the interview Ellen provided me with some invaluable insight, not only explaining how and why concussions occur, but also detailing the long- and short-term effects on the brain that repeated blows to the head can have.
Additionally, Ellen was able to apply her research to critically analyse the safety protocols in boxing, which given her background, adds real weight to the message that Fight Smart is trying to convey.
Ultimately, this was the main driving factor in contacting the SCORES team, as I feel that I was able to provide my audience with new insight and information from a study that is continuing to discover more about the causes and effects of brain injuries within sport.