The strain of trying to be perfect in sports is always overwhelming, both physically and mentally, especially for student athletes. As a first year varsity sport participant, I have personally experienced and witnessed through teammates how evident this problem is. Often in my sport when my team is working to learn something or perfect a skill, this happens and remains in high school sports.
There is always a risk of injury for students involved in high school sports, and I believe athletes need more information on injuries in order to prevent them. Coaches also need to incorporate more rest time for their athletes to avoid overexerting.
Many times in high school sports, athletes are unsure of how far they can go. Athletes practice and work so much that they don’t want to stop or else they think they won’t improve. I think excessive amounts of practicing can increase injuries when an athlete isn’t fully aware of their limits.
Coaches and trainers’ jobs are to work with their athletes and be mindful of their injuries and what they need to heal.
Girls cross country coach Holly Chapin agrees that athletes focusing on recovery is important for them.
“I believe that there is room for hard-work [in sports], though one has to be cognisant of whether or not a group or individuals are able to keep pushing or need rest,” Chapin said. “It is good to encourage breaks and rest when noticing that consistent injury or mental health issues are at stake.”
Overworking in sports can also have an effect on athletes’ mental health and quality of life. The stress that is given by coaches in sports can make athletes feel pressured and that takes a toll on them mentally.
Coaches also need to understand that high school athletes are not invincible, and they will hurt themselves if they are driven too hard.
I believe that injuries happen most when an athlete is given an overload of practice and conditioning that their body is not prepared for, and coaches aren’t giving them a proper amount of rest.
Focused and difficult practice is necessary for an athlete to improve in their sport, but there should also be time for athletes to take a break and focus on recovery.
Athletes getting hurt while participating in sports is inevitable, but coaches can also reduce this risk by educating students on injury prevention.
According to the Faculty of Sports and Health Education, “Adequate knowledge [of injuries] can assist [athletes] in the realization of appropriate rehabilitation and becomes very important to improve recovery and prevent further injury.”
The high school athletic trainer, Sydney Foster, believes that athletes in any sport need to be educated, because it gives them a better visualization of what is going on with their body.
“Education helps prevent injuries in sports as athletes are now aware of the things they should be doing to help their bodies as well as things to look out for when they are participating in practice, games, or outside training,” Foster said.
When an athlete knows how to properly train their bodies with rest, stretching and good conditioning that suits them, they will be at a smaller risk of overworking themselves to the point of injury.
“The more someone may know about the risk of injury can lead them to making better decisions long-term in regards to their health,” Chapin said. “I think educating newer and younger athletes on injuries is particularly important, because many of them may not be aware of potential injuries that come alongside their sport.”
An athlete having knowledge on their injury can help them know how to control it, prevent them, and heal properly to avoid re-injury.“It is important for athletes to be educated on their own injuries so they have a clear understanding of what is going on. With it being their bodies, they should know exactly what the injury is, what that means for their season, and how to manage it properly,” Foster said.
