A NEW ROLE

WASILLA — Concussions are a hot topic in sports.

The playing status of NHL star Sidney Crosby has dominated hockey headlines since his concussion more than nine months ago. States across the country, including Alaska, have adopted new laws to help prevent the long-term effects of post-concussion symptoms.

But while many people are just reading about the problems associated with concussions, George Percak-Dennett lived it. The former Colony High standout suffered a career-ending concussion during his junior season at Bemidji State University. The injury was serious enough to not only force him off the football field, but out of the classroom. He spent two weeks living in a dark room, waiting for the symptoms to subside.

Even though his playing career is over, Percak-Dennett is not out of football. He’s back in school on the verge of a degree in education, and back on the field as a student assistant coach in the Beavers Division II football program.

Even though Percak-Dennett would rather being be playing his senior season, the 2007 graduate of Colony High is getting a jump on his coaching career.

“I love football so much,” Percak-Dennett said recently. “The coaches here have been great enough to let me do an apprenticeship.”

It’s sort of like job shadowing, Percack-Dennett said. He’s helping to coach the linebackers, his position in college. He’s breaking down film and helping put together the game plans. He’s even in charge of recruiting in his home state. And he’s doing it all while having the chance to learn from a coaching staff that includes longtime head coach Jeff Tesch, one of the top active DII coaches and the program’s career leader in wins and winning percentage.

“I definitely never realized what it took to be a coach,” Percak-Dennett said.

Percak-Dennett said he saw just how much work college coaches put into the game plan. Two weeks before the team’s season-opener against Augustana, Percak-Dennett said he spent six straight hours, in just one session, working on the game plan.

“That’s what we’ve got to do. I am sure every school does it,” Percak-Dennett said.

Percak-Dennett started more than 20 games at linebacker during his college career. He made a half-dozen starts as a redshirt freshman and nine more as a sophomore. As a junior, Percak-Dennett entered the season as a captain and starter, but was forced out the lineup when he suffered his latest concussion in Week 6.

Percack-Dennett said he suffered a few concussions over the years, but the last one really took a toll.

“I’m 240 pounds, can run fairly fast and I lead with my face,” he joked. “The last one was pretty bad, really bad,” Percak-Dennett.

Percak-Dennett was hit with a number of post-concussion symptoms, and an increased sensitivity to light and sound was making everything worse. Doctors recommended he avoid both.

That left Percak-Dennett basically sitting in the dark for two weeks without lights or the television on.

He was forced to drop out of his classes for the semester and take incompletes.

“It was a rough little state of affairs,” Percak-Dennett said.

But aside from no longer being able to play football, Percak-Dennett is back to full strength. He’s enjoying coaching and has potential to be a graduate assistant coach with the Beavers staff next year. He hopes to pursue a master’s degree in special education, a goal born after Percak-Dennett spent the summer as a caregiver for people with disabilities.

He’d also like to be a high school coach someday.

“I really want to do that. Coach high school, teach special education,” Percak-Dennett said. “Coach defense, that’s where I feel at home at.”

While in high school, Percak-Dennett lettered three times in football and twice in soccer. The standout tight and defensive end was named first-team All-Railbelt and first-team all-state at both positions after helping lead his team to the large-school state championship game as a senior. He was also a kicker and held the state record with a 38-yard field goal during the 2006 state title game.

Percak-Dennett was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 2006, but as he looks back on his playing career, the highlight was when he was named captain of the Beavers football team.

“That was my greatest honor,” Percak-Dennett said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeramiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.