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38 Sp Sports SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2011 Concussions force f OHLer Corbeth b h to retire from f hockey h k bit of sleep over it. It has been my dream ever since I was five or six years old," said Corbeth, who Braeden Corbeth fears he will came up through the Minor Oaks Hockey Association system. "My never know for sure. Widely known as one of the parents have been really supportfastest skaters in the Ontario ing. I don't know what I'd do Hockey League, the 19-year-old without them. "I don't know if I'll ever get a has been forced to retire from hockey because of a severe his- chance to play again," he added. "It's possible, but... that's the one tory of concussions. Corbeth announced his deci- thing I was saying to my dad. My whole life, I will sion to hang up feel like I have his skates in a "My whole life, I will unfinished busipress conference feel like I have ness. I will always last week in unfinished business. I wonder. But, like I Belleville, where said, there's nothhe scored eight will always wonder. ing I can really do. goals and added But...there's nothing I I had to listen to 12 assists in 111 can really do. I had to what the doctors career games with listen to what the were saying. The the Bulls. doctors were saying." doctors wouldn't It was a decilet me go back and sion that didn't Braeden Corbeth play this year." come lightly for Corbeth's first Corbeth, who was beginning to garner some inter- concussion came on Nov. 28, est from National Hockey League 2009, when he took an elbow to scouts. But the former Oakville the chin during a 5-4 loss in Trafalgar High School student Owen Sound. The hit also broke also realized he didn't have a his jaw in three places and he was choice, having suffered five con- out of action for more than a cussions over the past two years month. The second and third concus-- including two in the first sions were simply bad luck. couple months of this season. On the second, Corbeth had "I was seeing the best concussion specialist in Toronto, and he his arms raised in the air after basically told me I wouldn't be scoring a goal when a player slid able to play again for a long into him from behind, taking his time," Corbeth said. "I had two legs out. Not having his hands to concussions back to back (this break his fall, Corbeth landed on season), and the second I got was the back of his head so hard that from a nothing hit. That's what his helmet cracked down the really scared him and showed I side. The third one came last sumneed to take a long time away mer, when Corbeth was in a car from the game." accident. Told to take years off PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON BELL / QUINTELIVE.CA This year, Corbeth took anothWhen Corbeth says a long er hard hit to the chin during the EARLY END TO HOCKEY CAREER: Braeden Corbeth, pictured in action with the Ontario Hockey League's time, that's what he means. It preseason, causing his fourth Belleville Bulls, announced his retirement from hockey last week. The 19-year-old has suffered five concussions in the past wasn't weeks or even months concussion. A few weeks later two years. away from hockey that the doctor came the fifth concussion, perrecommended for Corbeth to haps the scariest of them all Pittsburgh Penguins superstar two years ago to suit up for 22 going to happen," Corbeth said. "It's just a waiting game, and because it came on a routine returned this week from his own games so far this season with the heal. It was years. 10-month concussion-induced Kitchener Rangers. you need to see how your body That essentially meant giving bump along the boards. Is that enough to give Corbeth feels and what the doctors "It was the kind of hit that hiatus from hockey to collect four up on the dream of playing in the reason for hope as well? think." National Hockey League, some- happens 10 times a game. As soon points in his first game. And Ben Fanelli, another "It's the sort of feeling where thing Corbeth has been chasing as I got to the bench, I thought -- Jon Kuiperij can be `Oh my God, I'm basically Sidney Oakville native, has overcome you have optimism, but there's for almost all of his life. skull fractures and severe head also a bit of feeling hopeless followed on Twitter "This past week has been really Crosby,'" Corbeth recalled. at @Beaversports Speaking of Crosby, the trauma suffered in an OHL game because you don't know what's hard, I won't lie. I've lost quite a By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR