Run It Straight

Headway is issuing a strong and urgent warning to whānau, schools, and young people about the deeply troubling ‘Run It Straight’ trend, a challenge gaining popularity among rangatahi that encourages participants to charge at each other in full-speed collisions.

This is not a sport; it’s a direct assault on developing brains.

Educators are reaching out to Headway, reporting a rise in incidents, with rangatahi copying this trend during breaks and after school. As a national charity working to prevent brain injuries and support those affected, we are concerned. This trend glorifies reckless behaviour and completely disregards the impact that a single concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have on a young person’s life.

We are especially disappointed to see well-known sports figures participating in and promoting this trend.

These individuals are role models, their actions send a powerful message, whether they realise it or not. When they endorse or take part in dangerous behaviour like ‘Run It Straight’, it normalises harm and makes it harder for schools, parents, and communities to keep our tamariki and rangatahi safe.

Young people’s brains are still developing, making them more vulnerable to long-term consequences after a head injury. The cumulative effects of even mild concussions can significantly impact learning, emotional well-being, and future quality of life.

The ‘Run It Straight’ trend promotes unregulated, high-impact collisions that directly increase the risk of brain trauma. Protective gear offers limited defence when the brain is shaken within the skull. There is no safe way to engage in this challenge.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Headway strongly urges schools, sports coaches, parents, and community leaders to take a proactive stand. Talk to your young people about the risks, discourage this dangerous trend and encourage safe, structured activities that protect, not harm, the futures of our young people.

The long-term risks include

• Ongoing cognitive impairment (problems with thinking, concentration, and memory)
• Emotional and behavioural changes, including depression and anxiety
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated blows to the head
• Increased risk of dementia later in life

This is not sport, it’s a high-risk act that will have real, lifelong consequences.

For information on how to recognise the signs of concussion and manage recovery, please visit www.headway.org.nz.

© Scoop Media