LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Football has become life in many areas of the United States. The same stands here in Louisiana.

The game is loved for so many reasons but there is one problem: concussions.

Head trauma has become more exposed in recent years and has come to a head in a recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

JAMA studied 202 former football player’s brains that were donated and found nearly 90% were diagnosed with CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).

“Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, that’s whenever there is a build up of certain tau proteins within the brain. Tau protein is a particular type of protein that ends up creating a dark spot in the brain. It can block the way that the nerve flows. Typically we’ve ended up seeing that with mood disorders, headaches, mood disruption, sadness, and many committing suicide because of the depression and other problems that they have with it,” says Dr. Stephanie Aldret.

Brains of 14 former high school players were studied with over 1/5 resulting in CTE.

Almost every high school in southern Louisiana has a concussion protocol they follow for their players.

At Carencro High School, it is as extensive as it gets.

“Initially we do what we call baseline concussion testing. It’s a neuro-cognitive program meaning it’s measuring how the brain is functioning at the time, how they’re thinking, their reaction time, memory. If they do have a concussion, we start the protocol which is when we monitor their symptoms and after 48 hours, we do a post-test,” says athletic trainer John Roy.

These tests reveal how the player should be handled going forward.

“Kind of see where they’re at according to what their baseline scores were and it gives a good indicator of how serious the concussion is and at that point, we get them to the physician. If symptoms come back, then we have to back off on our protocol and may start back to level one of rest,” says Roy.

The initial post-concussion time period is vital.

It all starts with the player being honest with the training staff and more importantly, honest with himself.

“It’s scary. A 13 to 18-year-old kid taking a shot can really cause significant damage. A lot of times, a lot of these kids are playing ball at five or six years old and taking these kinds of hits,” says Westgate head coach Ryan Antoine.

“You ask a kid if he wants to play, more than likely he is going to say yes whether he has a broken leg or can’t see straight,” says Southside head coach Josh Fontenot.

As for the players themselves, it is hard to keep them away from the game.

“If I can get back and walk again, I’ll still play,” says Carencro player Billy Clay.

“I’ve had about two, three concussions and I’ve gotten a lot of information from doctors telling me that it is the end of career and all that. I try to think past it, but I know it’s reality,” says Westgate player Shannon Deal.

High school football teams are still in the mix of preparations for the upcoming season that starts in the coming weeks.