With the start of school it also means the start of high school football.
Athletic trainers and coaches around the metro work long before the start of the season to do everything they can to keep student
athletes safe.
In recent years, a number of NFL athletes have hung up their cleats because they just don’t want to risk further injury after a few concussions. It’s sparked a nationwide conversation with parents about whether or not their high school student is also safe.
Bill Kleber, Creighton Prep’s athletic trainer, said they do everything they can to prevent these kinds of injuries. For them, it starts with teaching proper tackling and making sure students are wearing the right equipment properly.
“Football is a dangerous game
Which means coaches are constantly talking with athletes about how they’re feeling.
Students also take tests before they have a concussion to get a base of where their brain is at. Then, if they might have a concussion, they’re tested again to see if their brain really is okay, or if it still needs to heal.
These tests have helped keep students off the field when they aren’t ready to be back.
But it’s not just concussions that are top of mind. Fall weather in Nebraska can be a range from scorching temperatures to snow.
During those hot days, Kleber said Prep has a specific plan in place for frequent water breaks, deciding when to practice in full gear, and when it’s okay to practice on that hot turf.
There is a new rule in Nebraska this year that also works to ease students into the heat. For the first two days of practice, students can only wear their helmets. From days three to five, students can only wear helmets and shoulder pads. On day six, they can go into full gear. The old rule only waited three days to get to that point.
Kleber also advised that hydration is key long before students ever step foot on the field. Athletes should be hydrating and preparing for the heat a week or two before getting out there.
They should also try to keep muscles loose and active before hitting the field. Kleber said some of the most common injuries he sees are strains and sprains.
He suggests staying active in the off-season so muscles don’t have to readjust.
At Prep, they also do dynamic stretching at every practice. It’s a type of warm up that keeps the muscles moving while stretching them, rather than staying still and stretching.
“It’s constant movement cause we practice at a pretty good pace right now, so we want our guys to warm up at a good rate,” Kleber said. “That has helped our injury rate in the past probably four years. it’s brought it down a little bit.”
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