Arkansas Baptist head Athletic Trainer Alysha Colvin is doubling down on concussion safety after the tragic passing of college basketball player Ethan Dietz, a Conway native who died on November 25 following a head injury sustained during a game.
“I mean it hurts my heart when we have to take somebody to the hospital and I have to let the parents know that their player is in the hospital, their child is in the hospital,” Colvin said. “So to have to call a parent and say their child has passed is something I never wanna have to experience.”
Video of the incident shows Dietz taking an elbow to the head and holding his head in pain before returning to play shortly afterward. For Colvin, that moment underscores why strict concussion protocols are not optional.
“It definitely changed the game for me,” she said. “I’ve never taken head injuries lightly, but definitely not now.”
Working with more than 150 athletes across football and basketball, Colvin says she often faces pressure from players—and sometimes coaches—who want an athlete to stay in the game. But her stance is unwavering.
“Sometimes they try to persuade me to change my mind, but I’m putting my foot down when it comes to head injuries,” she said.
Her evaluation protocol starts immediately: asking orientation questions, checking comprehension, and screening for symptoms such as dizziness and headache.
“If they do have three or more of those symptoms then we go ahead and take the next step,” Colvin explained.
That next step is immediate removal from play, followed by continued monitoring.
But her care doesn’t stop at the final whistle.
“I’ll call the player that night, hours after the game, just to check on them, and then I’ll call them the next day,” she said.
If symptoms persist, she meets with them in person to determine next steps.
As the school’s only Athletic Trainer, Colvin’s workload is heavy—but her attentiveness is unwavering. And after Dietz’s passing, her commitment to protecting athletes from head injuries is stronger than ever. Read more and watch the news story here!