Wellness Wednesday is Sponsored by Intermountain Health
High school sports occupy the space between the all-are-invited fun of little league and the big money and pressure of college and professional sports.
But the effect of an injury is the same whether or not the team has a medical staff.
That’s why more schools are implementing athletic trainers for high school athletes.
Every weeknight at every high school, football players take hits. They dive for the ball. They push their bodies. And they can get hurt.
“You never know when an injury is going to happen,” said Mitchell Brower, a licensed athletic trainer. Brower is employed by Intermountain Health, and contracted to work with the teams at Providence Hall, a charter school in Herriman.
“So, we're here to prevent a lot that's kind of the main game is preventing those injuries. Talking with those coaches, building the trust with the athletes is a big part of that,” said Brower.
"We're here at the schools. We're at the practices and the games, so we're able to look at the athletes right then and there and make a decision if they're going to be all right,” he said.
That means early and appropriate care, and a professional assessment.
Nathan Marshall, Executive Director of Providence Hall Charter School said, “When we first started our sports programs, believe it or not, we would have other coaches, including myself, would carry a bag, trauma bag, basically, and help in games.”
Providence Hall started working with Intermountain Health's athletic training program three years ago. It solved a clear problem.
“When a kid went down, we did the best we could with the knowledge that we have. And if it was really bad, obviously we would call either the parents or in worst case scenario, we'd call EMT,” said Marshall.
56 other Utah schools also work with Intermountain’s trainers.
Head Coach Dave Smith said, “Without a trainer, you don't really have an idea of what's going on, you can't fix a problem or have a solution during, you know, in the immediate moment."
That's when an injury happens. But Brower's first job is to help the players avoid injury.
"I'll get a report before we even start the day. Hey, it's going to be hot. We need to look at making sure they're hydrated,” said Brower.
Brower also watches practice. His expertise goes beyond treatment.
"Athletic trainers do have some training to help those coaches guide for sport specific activities to allow the athletes better chance of preventing those injuries in the first place,” he said.
While the coaches look at technique and think about strategy, Brower looks at health and fitness...and not just physical.
“It's helpful to know when an athlete is hurting, because sometimes it's not as obvious as we think it is. So, it's helpful to identify those and get to know these kids earn their trust, so that when those issues do come up, we're okay asking them and involving a parent and. Legal guardian if they need it,” he said.
A University of North Carolina Study of catastrophic injuries in sports showed football causes more major injuries than any other high school sport. In second place? Cheerleading.
