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Olympics 2024: Expert details the danger of headings in soccer

One of the most exciting plays in the sport are are more common in the Summer Games

Jul 31, 2024

1 min

One of the most popular Olympic sports is soccer, and one of its most exciting plays – headers – is more commonly deployed by international teams.

Given the risk of concussions during that play, experts like the University of Delaware's Thomas Kaminski will be watching the event closely during the 2024 Summer Games.

Kaminski, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology in UD's College of Health Sciences, is a leading expert on concussions in soccer and serves as the sole U.S. representative on the FIFA Heading Expert Group.

“FIFA is concerned about the disparity in concussions between men and women,” Kaminski said. “Women are at a higher risk of concussion due to a variety of reasons, including neck strength and overall body strength.”

Concussions often occur during aerial challenges.

“When players compete for the ball at the same time, they need to use their body to protect their head space, taking the strain off the head,” Kaminski said.

Expect the ball to be in the air quite a bit in Olympic competition.

“Many international teams tend to play the ball in the air more, but the USA will be ready for that. They know what to do,” Kaminski said.

What to keep an eye out for:

“Anytime a ball is scored from a header, it’s a picture of beauty in the game,” Kaminski said.

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Tom Kaminski

Professor, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology

Prof. Kaminski is a leading expert on issues related to purposeful headers in interscholastic and intercollegiate soccer.

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Jun 8, 2026

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World Cup: Hall of Fame heading expert can talk about concussions

With a focus on concussion research, the University of Delaware's Thomas Kaminski serves as the sole U.S. representative on the FIFA Heading Expert Group, putting UD on the world soccer stage. Kaminski's contributions to the sport earned him a place in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame. Kaminski, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology at UD's College of Health Sciences, has studied heading in soccer and concussion risk for nearly three decades. It's just one of the many topics he can discuss in relation to the upcoming World Cup: • Concussion risks, prevention strategies and sports-related mild traumatic brain injuries. • Ankle instability and how evolving safety standards are influencing the modern game. • Purposeful headers in interscholastic and intercollegiate soccer. Kaminski will be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Hall of Fame at the 77th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo on June 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. The award represents the profession’s highest honor and honors members who have dedicated their lives to service and left a lasting impact on the profession. “I’m honored and humbled to join such a distinguished group of athletic training pioneers – people who have shaped and pushed the profession forward to where it is today,” Kaminski said. To reach Kaminski directly and arrange an interview, visit his ExpertFile profile and click on the "connect" button. Interested members of the media can also email mediarelations@udel.edu.

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NBA Finals: Pricey tickets have fans debating the value of a memory

With the NBA Finals back in New York and San Antonio, some fans holding pricey tickets face an emotional and financial decision: Savor a major life memory or cash out for big money to spend on something else? The University of Delaware's Amit Kumar has conducted research on these types of choices. Kumar, an assistant professor of marketing and psychological & brain sciences, says that it may come down to a choice between material possessions that people often buy because they think those things are going to make them happy and a satisfying experiential purchase that tends to "last" in a psychological sense. The Spurs haven't been to the Finals since 2014. It's been 27 years for the Knicks – and 53 years since the team hoisted the championship trophy. So, in this case, the decision comes down to a large lump of money to spend on, say, a kitchen remodeling project or a new watch; versus the memory of witnessing a rare NBA Finals home game. "If there's a consumer deciding between buying antique living room furniture to replace the set they already have in their house or instead spending that money on the experience of seeing the Knicks play the Spurs, they are likely to derive more enduring satisfaction from the memories of being at the game, the stories they tell about going and having been there, and the social interactions they have as a result," Kumar said. He added that the lesson for people's everyday lives is really to tilt their spending in a way such that they spend a bit less on material goods and a bit more on experiences. To connect with Kumar directly and arrange an interview, visit his profile and click on the "contact" button. To reach him directly, send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu.

Jun 2, 2026

2 min

Nurse-midwife master’s program addresses maternal healthcare shortages

Counties across the U.S. are seeing an increase in “maternity care deserts” – areas that completely lack OB/GYNs, midwives or birthing facilities. The University of Delaware's School of Nursing will join the effort to address this shortage by launching the state's first nurse-midwife master’s program and post-graduate certificate this fall. Amanda Watson, director of the nurse-midwife program and assistant professor of nursing at UD's College of Health Sciences, can talk about the issue both on a national scale and at the hyper-local level. In Delaware, for example, 67 percent of pregnant women in Kent County and nearly half of pregnant women in Sussex County who experienced a stillbirth or infant death have late or no access to prenatal care, according to the Maternal and Child Death Review Commission (MCDRC). “The program is in direct response to workforce needs and healthcare shortages in the state and aligns with our mission in the School of Nursing to promote nurses at the earliest levels to the advanced practice level,” said Elizabeth Speakman, chief nurse administrator and senior associate dean of SON. She added that current nursing students wanted to see a program like this. “We’ve had undergraduate students tell us they want to continue their experience as a Blue Hen through a nurse-midwife program, so we expect this program to be quite popular, especially with our direct admission pathway,” Speakman said. The full-time, two-year program is being supported by a $1 million investment from the state of Delaware. It will be led by Watson and launch this fall with an eight-student cohort that will complete clinical rotations at Christiana, Bayhealth and Beebe hospitals, as well as The Birth Center in Newark. “We will prioritize students living and working in Delaware to make a quicker impact on the workforce shortage,” Watson said. The pipeline strategy is central to the program, said Dr. Meena Ramakrishnan, a consultant and epidemiologist with the MCDRC. “More nurse-midwives who train here, know Delaware and its resources, make connections and stay here to practice, is an important step toward improving outcomes,” Ramakrishnan said. Watson said the program reflects what makes change possible in Delaware’s healthcare system. “I saw a flawed healthcare system in this state, and I’m blessed to be in a state small enough that people who want to fix the problem are given opportunities to affect change,” she said. To connect with Watson directly and arrange an interview, visit her profile page and click the "contact" button. Interested reporters can also send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu.