Learning Resources - The Harry Leary CTE Education Center
8 Lanes of Learning About Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
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This page was developed with contributions from the Leary family.
Before we understood the risks, riders pushed limits.
Before we had answers, they gave everything to the sport.
Today, we have the opportunity to learn from what we now know.
This educational resource is designed to provide general information about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in relation to impact sports like BMX.
It is not intended to diagnose or make conclusions about any individual.
Instead, it offers a structured way to understand what we know today - through the lens of experience, history, and evolving awareness.
Lane 1: What Is CTE? (Understanding the Condition)
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain condition associated with repeated head impacts over time.
Unlike a single concussion, it develops gradually - sometimes years after an athlete’s most active days.
CTE is still being studied, and much remains unknown. What we do understand is that it is connected to cumulative exposure, not just one moment.
This lane begins with awareness.
Lane 2: Repetition Over Time (The Invisible Accumulation)
In action sports like BMX, impact isn’t always dramatic - it’s often repetitive.
Jumps, landings, crashes, and even routine riding all add up over time.
It’s not just the big hits.
It’s the thousands of smaller ones that may go unnoticed.
This lane reminds us that time and repetition matter.
Lane 3: The Symptoms We Understand Today (From Research)
Modern research has identified patterns sometimes associated with long-term brain trauma:
Mood changes
Impulsivity
Memory challenges
Emotional highs and lows
These symptoms vary widely and are still being studied.
This lane focuses on what science is beginning to understand—not what it can definitively explain.
Lane 4: What We Didn’t Know Then (The Early Era of BMX)
In the early days of BMX, knowledge around brain health was limited.
Helmets, protocols, and long-term studies were not what they are today.
Riders pushed forward with passion, often without the information we now take for granted.
This lane honors that era - while recognizing how much has changed.
Lane 5: The Culture of Toughness (Built Into the Sport)
BMX has always been built on resilience.
Get back up. Keep riding. Don’t quit.
That mindset shaped generations of riders - and still does today.
But toughness can sometimes come at a cost when injuries are minimized or ignored.
This lane reflects on the balance between grit and awareness.
Lane 6: What Families Sometimes See Later (A New Perspective)
In some cases, families and loved ones reflect on behaviors years later through a new lens of understanding.
Patterns that once felt unexplained may take on new meaning as awareness grows.
This lane does not offer conclusions - only perspective.
Lane 7: Why This Matters Now (Where We Go From Here)
Today, athletes, families, and organizations are more informed than ever.
Conversations around brain health, safety, and long-term well-being are becoming part of the sport.
Education leads to better decisions - for current riders and future generations.
This lane is about progress.
Lane 8: A Final Lesson (Reflection, Not Conclusion)
This page is not a diagnosis.
It is not a conclusion.
It is an effort to understand what we know today -
through the lens of a life lived fully in BMX.
The goal is simple:
To learn, to reflect, and to carry that knowledge forward.
For the riders who came before, and the ones still to come...
Related Media
To better understand the science and real-world impact of CTE, the following videos provide additional context from medical experts, athletes, and researchers.
"Ride and Shine with Lititz BMX" - We Look Forward to Sharing with You
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This Learning Resource Is Supported By
Green Mountain Cyclery
Ephrata, PA
Proud supporters of grassroots BMX culture.
Supporting the preservation of BMX history through storytelling and artifacts.
Lititz BMX is an independent archive documenting the
history and culture of BMX through artifacts, interviews, and storytelling.
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