Mercedes Watson

Mercedes Watson has been advocating for coaches and the crucial role they play in injury prevention and concussion management for almost a decade. Mercedes and the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO), have played an active role in the creation and implementation of Rowan’s Law in Ontario since 2015. Former Executive Director, Susan Kitchen, sat on the Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee which led to the establishment of first of its kind concussion legislation in Canada in 2018.  In 2020, CAO launched the Coach’s Concussion Toolkit: a one stop shop for all coaches on Rowan’s Law and Concussion.  The Concussion Toolkit, alongside the NCCP Making Head Way Concussion eLearning Series continues to ensure coaches are confident and competent to recognize, remove, and manage concussions in their fields of play.  Mercedes and CAO continue to work in collaboration with partners across the sector to better translate and mobilize knowledge to coaches about concussion safety.