The parent of a young footballer who died on the field has joined forces with a local club to try and prevent another death.
The Port District Football Club has introduced a groundbreaking QR code system to effectively track head knocks among players.
This initiative is being supported by Wendy Smith, the mother of Antonio Loiacono, who died in hospital last April, having been gravely injured while playing a round one clash for Birdwood.
Antonio suffered two knocks in the game, and had a history of concussion.
"I knew he was being resuscitated but I thought he was going to be OK," she said of the terrible moment.
"I am taking each day as it comes."
Following the devastating loss of her son, Smith says she has joined forces with the club to ensure no other family endures the pain and suffering she has experienced.
And she wants to see the initiative rolled out nationally.
Port District's junior president, Andrew Marks, enlisted two parents, Sophie Rowe and Rachael Kaye, to create straightforward guidelines for managing head injuries.
At the heart of this innovative system is a QR code that team managers can utilise to work through a comprehensive checklist.
This checklist includes crucial player details, which are then securely stored in a centralised club database.
By implementing this system, the club aims to normalise concussion awareness and make it an integral part of everyday conversations within the football community.
Medical advice and return to play steps are also sent home to parents.
The club has already shared its system with other clubs but believe it should be implemented across the board.
"I would like to see nationally that there's a register because kids play different sport for school so they might get a concussion at club sport and play at school the following day," Rowe said.
Smith also wants the QR code system to be adopted across the board but only wishes it had been available earlier.
"For me I don't want other people to go through what I did," she added.
Meanwhile, Loiacono's legacy extends beyond his tragic passing, as he has saved six lives through organ donation and bequeathed his brain to the Australian Brainbank.
