Rowan’s Law Day: Remembering Rowan and Raising Concussion Awareness

On September 30, Lakefield College School recognized Rowan’s Law Day, raising awareness about concussion safety and the importance of protecting athletes on and off the field.

Throughout the week, our SICs of Health and Wellbeing, Arim ’27, Venessa ’27, Matt ’27 and Harshan ’27, led student presentations honouring Rowan Stringer, a 17-year-old rugby player from Ottawa whose death in 2013 followed multiple unresolved concussions.

The presentations explored Rowan’s story and the importance of recognizing concussion symptoms, removing athletes from play when a concussion is suspected, and following proper protocols before returning to sport. Students also learned about Ontario’s Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018, which establishes concussion safety requirements for sports organizations.

On September 30, LCS also hosted a live podcast with Peterborough Athletics Concussion Awareness (@paca.health), bringing together voices from the worlds of sport, health care and education for an important conversation about concussion awareness. Olympian and Canadian rugby player Hannah Darling shared her personal experience with concussion alongside LCS student Nate ’27, Coach Janssen, Janice Runza RN from the Health Centre, and Adam Ross, Director of Athletics.

The conversation explored personal experiences with concussion, recognizing the signs and understanding how Rowan’s Law is put into practice. It reinforced the importance of speaking up when something doesn’t feel right and working together to create safer sporting environments.

Rowan’s story remains a powerful reminder that concussion safety is a shared responsibility. Whether in the classroom, on the field or on the sidelines, knowing the signs and taking action can make a difference.

Thank you to Arim, Venessa, Matt and Harshan for their leadership in educating our community, and to everyone who contributed to the podcast and helped continue this important conversation.

Watch the September 30 Podcast Recording