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PIGSKIN PREVIEW/2023 ^ O O O eoeoeele Ahuancco o o o o o o o ^ August 16, 2023/Page 35C
Professional sports
teams often note that inju
ries are part of the game.
That notion is never too
far from professional ath
letes’ minds, but it can be a
harsh reality for student
athletes to confront, espe
cially if they have never be
fore been sidelined by in
jury. Though there’s no
foolproof way for athletes
to avoid injury, student
athletes and their families
can consider these preven
tive measures to reduce
their risk of being side
lined.
• Use diet to athletes’
advantage. A healthy diet
benefits people from all
walks of life, and it can be
especially beneficial for
student athletes. Precisely
what defines a healthy diet
depends on variables spe
cific to the athletes, such as
age and gender, but
Nemours Childrens
Health notes that balance
is vital for teenage athletes.
Avoid cutting back on car
bohydrates, which provide
fuel for young athletes.
When choosing carbs, opt
for fruits, vegetables and
whole grains instead of
sugar-laden options like
candy bars. The latter can
provide a quick energy
burst but then cause an en
ergy crash that makes ath
letes feel fatigued. In-game
fatigue can increase risk of
injury. In addition, calcium
and iron can be vital to
Courtesy of Wheeler Co.
Wheeler County Cheerleaders - (L to R, Front): Kaylee Smith, Ariel Reynolds, Lyric Stan
ley; (Back): Adrianna Mancini, Layla Gibbs, Kinlee Raiford, Paisley McCranie, Legacy
Stanley, Molly Bridges, Marley Palma, Kayleigh Sanders, Faith Clark, Clair Van Plouten,
Zoey Vann, and Molly Wright,
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and all our local teams!
athletes who play contact
sports, including football
and soccer, should be
taught proper ways to
tackle so they can avoid
injuring themselves and
others. Coaches can rein
force these lessons during
practices and even games if
the need arises.
• Prioritize offseason
conditioning. Rest and re
covery is vital for any ath
lete, but especially student
athletes whose bodies are
still growing and changing.
Offseasons have largely
fallen by the wayside, but
parents can protect their
student athletes by encour
aging them to avoid year-
round competition. Dur
ing periods when student
athletes aren’t competing,
they can forgo in-season
workout routines to re
duce their risk for overuse
injuries while also improv
ing their conditioning
through cardiovascular
workouts. Running on a
treadmill, using an ellipti
cal machine and/or swim
ming are great activities
that make it easy for stu
dent athletes to keep their
bodies in shape as their
muscles and joints recover
from the season.
young athletes looking to
avoid injury. Calcium
helps strengthen bones
while iron carries much-
needed oxygen to athletes’
muscles. Protein is impor
tant for athletes, but
Nemours notes that most
teenage athletes who eat
healthy diets already get
ample protein. As a result,
protein powders and
shakes are not necessary
for teenage muscle growth.
• Make a good night’s
rest part of athletes’ rou
tine. A good night’s rest is
vital for student athletes, as
it ensures they aren’t play
ing tired. Tired athletes
have slower reaction times
and that can increase in
jury risk. Adequate sleep
also benefits athletes’ per
formance. A 2015 study
published in the journal
Physiology & Behavior
found that athletes who in
creased their nightly sleep
from seven to nine hours
experienced significantly
improved performance af
ter doing so.
• Emphasize the rules
of the game. The rules of
the game aren’t in place
solely to encourage fair
play. Rules also are de
signed to keep athletes
safe. For example, student
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