Wendy Smith, whose son Antonio Loiacono died from a head knock on the football field, calls for players to be ‘closely monitored’

The mother of a young Hills footballer, who died after an on-field collision, has called for sporting clubs to closely monitor players’ mental health in the wake of concussion.

The mother of a young Adelaide Hills footballer who died after an on-field collision has called for sporting clubs to more closely monitor players’ mental health in the wake of concussion, on the eve of what would have been her late son’s 21st birthday.

Wendy Smith, whose son Antonio Loiacono died in April after an on-field collision playing for the Birdwood Football Club, has revealed her youngest son Jack’s mental health deteriorated after suffering concussions as a teenager that forced him to give up sport.

“With his concussions, the anxiety and depression set in,” Ms Smith told The Sunday Mail.

“He was so young, he was only 15 or 16, he didn’t know what was going on.

“I just knew something wasn’t right.

“It affected everything.”

Birdwood footballer Antonio Loiacono died after an on-field collision during an Adelaide Hills Football League match. Picture: Supplied

Mother of Antonio Loiacono, Wendy Smith speaking at a forum on concussion in Melbourne. Picture: supplied

Ahead of her late son Antonio’s 21st birthday and in the wake of Norwood premiership player Nick Lowden’s family opening up about the young star’s mental health battle following a concussion, Ms Smith said more research needed to be done to identify the mental health issues caused by concussion.

“If the concussions were reported on and kids were checked more regularly, then you could identify it,” she said.

“We don’t know what we don’t know.

“There’s such a lack of duty of care.”

Ms Smith said Jack experienced depression and anxiety, coupled with the sadness of giving up sport, after his concussions.

“His whole world was sport,” she said.

“He was heavily involved with networks that were so sport oriented.”

The concussions also derailed his education.

“He lost interest in school,” she said.

Ms Smith said her son still experienced the effects of his concussions.

“I would have to write things down because he would forget and even now he can be forgetful,” Ms Smith said.

“It’s just the ongoing medical (issues) that you have to go through and you have to do it on your own.

“There’s lots of issues.”

On Sunday, Ms Smith and her family will remember Antonio at an intimate get together and celebrate his love of pasta.

“Antonio’s life was just shortened,” she said.

“We need to make sure sport is played safer.”