It might still be summer on the calendar, but the fall sports season is about to kick off. In a physical game like football, injuries are bound to pop up, but Avera Health's partnership with local schools help ensure player safety on and off the football field.
Well before football practice even starts at O'Gorman High School, Avera Athletic Trainer Tiffany Otto is making preparations.
“Today is the first day, so I still have some preseason stuff going on. I have freshman concussion testing at 2:45, I'll start getting the field, the water set up at about 2 p.m., and then the kids will start coming in at 2:15 for tape and any injuries that have happened in this break that we've been off for the last couple weeks, and then I’ll come down here for practice at 3 p.m.,” said Otto.
One of those players getting some extra attention is senior Jack Stukel.
“I had a hamstring issues over the summer. I pulled my left hamstring and then after I came back from that, my right one, I ended up pulling that. But I've been having Tiff and Sarah here to help me out and help recover. And as of now, I feel better than ever,” said Stukel.
With Tiffany's help, this linebacker is able to safely practice on day one and not miss a drill. Getting players back on the field is one aspect of being an athletic trainer, helping them off it is another.
“The biggest role I would say is the acute care of the athletes. So if something happens on the field where they're right away to help take care of them, then the coaches don't have to worry about it. They can just coach the game,” said Otto.
“100%, I mean, they're always there to help and they've got something ready for you. They can whip up a plan pretty quickly and it's just nice knowing that we have an amazing staff here,” said Stukel.
The same can be said for the cross-town rivals at Washington High School, where Caitlyn Martin has been helping safeguard the Warriors.
“I have been doing this for 10 years. It's kind of crazy. It's been really fun and I've learned a lot and I've seen a lot too,” said Martin.
Being on the sideline and seeing an injury happen is helpful in identifying the cause and developing a treatment plan. Sometimes trainers have to be a detective, because kids can be competitive and might not always be truthful about an injury in hopes of staying in the game.
“A lot of body language is really important to look out for. So when I'm concerned about a concussion, so did they come up off the ground? Are they stumbling around? Are they grabbing at their head? Are they hitting their helmet, shaking their head? Those are all things that I'm looking for from a concussion standpoint. Injury wise, I'm looking how are they holding themselves. Are they holding their arm really tight and snug to their body? Are they limping? All of those things is what I'm looking for as they come off the field,” said Martin.
A watchful eye can spot a physical injury. Sometimes extra tech can help provide insight for the unseen risks at practice. Even on cloudy days, the weather can play a big role in player safety.
“If it's 70 degrees or higher, we are checking to make sure that our wet ball globe thermometer is saying that we are good to go. So it can be 70 degrees, but if it's very, very humid, that would limit what we can and cannot do on the field,” said Martin.
“If our tools say that the temperature is unsafe. We tell them to remove protective equipment or shorten practice time, increase breaks and increase water breaks,” said Otto.
It might not be as physical, but these practices are just as important for the athletic trainers as they are for the athletes. Both parties working together to be as prepared as possible for the upcoming season. And who knows, maybe even a championship.
“I think we can come out strong and hopefully we can all stay safe this season,” said Stukel.
“This is an exciting time of year when they're all coming back. Everybody's excited to start a new season and it's just fun to get going again in the fall,” said Otto.
Avera partners with dozens of school districts throughout the region to provide athletic trainer and medical coverage for various school activities and events. Learn more about Avera Sports.
