Coaches and Parents: Establishing an Injury Prevention Culture
I've worked with many different types of athletes in my short time as an Athletic Trainer. They include youth/high school aged kids all the way up to the collegiate, professional and Olympic level. I still have a lot to learn, but I like to think that I've picked up a few tricks since starting out just seven years ago. At the very least, I've made some keen observations about the world of athletics. In this post, I'll be targeting mostly those involved in youth athletics, but these principles can apply to any sport at any level.
Why youth? There are several reasons. I believe the youth have the greatest need for a culture of injury prevention. Athletes at the professional and elite level have funding available to hire the best in the business to help establish a culture of fitness, athleticism, performance enhancement and injury prevention. This is not necessarily true with most youth, high school or college sports. Another reason is that youth tend to be influenced in a deep way by coaches, parents and teachers (as they should). The level of knowledge and experience of any given coach or parent will certainly affect the culture of their team. Your kids will follow your example. So the culture starts with you, the leaders of your team. I believe that most parents and coaches will agree with me that we have a responsibility to do what's best for the health and future of our kids, above all else. Therefore we must be very intentional about inserting a component of injury prevention into our athletic culture. Here are a few suggestions that I hope will give you some guidance:
1. Let it Go.
No, I'm not suggesting you attempt to wow your athletes with your best rendition of this oh-so-lovable song from the very popular children's animated movie (but if you must, please record it and post it so we can see). I'm suggesting you let go of the past. Let go of the way you may have been trained. Yes, train and train well. But as the exercise sciences progress and we learn more, smarter training and periodization techniques have been developed. When applied, these techniques will enhance the performance of your athletes. There is no more room in athletics for the hard-nosed, "no pain, no gain" training methods of old. More importantly, the culture of that time period needs to be squashed. Instead, be open to the idea that science and experience can forge the perfect training regimen for your athletes. It is possible to work smarter and harder at the same time, and actually improve your results.
2. Consider Hiring or Partnering with an Athletic Trainer and Team Physician.
A Certified/Licensed Athletic Trainer is your best friend on the sidelines. They are well-trained and equipped to handle the situations that you don't want to and may not be able to. There is no other professional who is better suited to handle athletic injuries from beginning to end than an Athletic Trainer. A good Athletic Trainer will prove that they are worth their weight in gold many times over. Injury prevention, evaluation, care, rehabilitation, functional testing, taping, bracing, fitness, referral networks, the list goes on. Having an Athletic Trainer on your side will reduce your risk of liability and give you an added level of protection for your athletes. If you don't have an Athletic Trainer that you work with, get one. Pronto. A Team Physician can oversee your sports medicine program and also give you clinical access when an injury occurs. Having a team Physician invested in your club's operations is priceless.
3. Consider Hiring or Partnering with a Strength and Conditioning Coach
If you want a true expert on your side who is well-trained in conditioning and injury prevention for athletic teams, then it would help to seek advice from a fitness professional. I would recommend either a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), or a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES). These professionals will take the fitness of your athletes off your shoulders so you can concentrate on coaching technique, fundamentals and tactical situations. They can even design a fitness program that spans over an entire year cycle for your kids. If money or time constraints are an issue, consider sponsoring your fitness professional with some signage at your club and/or referrals to their business.
4. The Pros Value Rest. So Should we.
Most pro teams have restrictions on how much they can practice during a period of time. Some of this is due to union contracts, etc. But I feel that overall this is a good thing. Many states have even adopted similar policies to restrict things such as two-a-day practices. When I played high school football, we were practicing between 4 and 5 days per week, with between 2 and 3 of those days being two-a-day practices. Not so anymore. Here in Wisconsin, rules are regulated fairly tightly. Also the more we understand the concept of a taper, the further our athletes will go. Tapering means that we back off training prior to a key competition for rest and recovery. During this time, it's important to focus on team-building activities, playing games, going through tactical scenarios and having fun. This is valuable on many fronts. It gives helps recharge your athletes physically, mentally and emotionally. It builds team camaraderie and most importantly, it improves their performance. Don't hammer on them until the day before competition. Find other things to focus on and give them rest; especially if they are playing a 4-game tournament in the upcoming weekend. Want to know how to taper? See suggestion #3.
5. Take Serious Injury Seriously.
Trust your Athletic Trainers and stick to what you know best. A concussion is a concussion, no matter which way you slice it. It makes all the difference in the world to have a supportive coach behind me when I have to deliver the bad news that a kid can't play. It's probably my least favorite part of this job to watch someone break down in tears because they're missing the big game. Help us by being supportive. On the other side of the coin, being resistant or disrespectful to your health professionals can damage relationships and undermine their status in the eyes of the athlete. And, unless you've had proper training, it can open you up to unnecessary liability risks should you try to make a call on an injury (see point #2). Be familiar with your state's concussion laws and follow them strictly. Insist that your athletes and parents go through the proper yearly training that most states now require. Coaches, club owners, parents and athletes are responsible for abiding by these laws. The lives of your athletes very much depend on it. Want to know more about concussions? Watch Head Games the Film.
6. Be Creative and Have Fun.
Remember why you got involved in your sport. Remember that at the youth level, the objective is to have fun and be fit. Winning will become more important later. Concentrate on developing young athletes into model human beings. Encourage fundamentals, integrity, hard work and fair play. Have a pre-game meal together as a team once in a while. Develop traditions within your team. Give " MVP" or "Hustle" awards once in a while. When I worked in professional football, the day before a game was walk-through day. They went over strategies in a calm, no-contact, low-stress environment. At the end, they would gather in a circle and do a silly dance. We all laughed together and remembered that we could really enjoy being a part of a team.
Implementing injury prevention strategies into your athletic culture takes time, effort and energy, but it lies in your hands as parents, coaches and volunteers. A little bit of effort and education goes a long way. You may have already gotten a solid sports medicine program in place. Keep up the great work! Lead your kids carefully, intentionally and courageously. They will follow whatever path you choose.
(photo from saskatoonyouthsoccer.ca)