Seau's death puts spotlight on CTE here at home

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The recent diagnosis of NFL star Junior Seau's brain study is spurring change in the way the athletic world treats concussions.

Oregon State University tight end Colby Prince is training in Indianapolis, gearing up for a March 15 date with pro scouts. If he impresses, it would mean bigger arenas, and bigger hits.

"There's definitely a couple times where you're not knocked out but for a second you're like, 'Woah man,' take a second to gather your thoughts," said Prince.

The hits; for years they were celebrated, they're now being taken seriously.

"Over the last four years, there's been more attention on mild traumatic brain injury, or sport concussion, than in the previous 200 years of sport," said Ralph Reiff, Executive Director at St. Vincent Sports Performance.

Reiff was saddened by Thursday's diagnosis of NFL star Junior Saeau's brain study - Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

"This phenomenon of CTE, it's a deterioration of the brain matter, as it becomes less pliable therefore less functional and that's what happens from a layman's standpoint."

The recent attention given to the topic has spurred positive changes. In addition to better equipment and better training, Reiff hopes findings like these will open a larger dialogue about mental health.

"It's not a very comfortable topic to talk about your personal mental illness, about your personal depression, so I truly believe that an unsuspecting outcome of the sport concussion discussion will be that we will treat mental health better across the United States," said Reiff.

A tragic diagnosis is now giving way to hopeful treatment so athletes like Colby can play the game they love without fear of a tragic ending.

"Junior Seau's findings, the sadness of that story, what it does for us, it keeps myself and my colleagues on task, that this is an important part of American culture right now that we need to get our arms around," said Reiff.