Inside Soccer

Whether your performance training goal is to run faster, develop more power, or improve agility, the key to your long term success is that you trust the process. The experience at times can be frustrating. And as sure as day follows night, the one certainty of an effective training program or workout is that you will eventually experience difficult mental and physical challenges that will tempt you to abandon your workout program

It could be an important game that you're playing, some milestone you are about to reach, or it could be a team you are trying out for. Whatever event it is, it's something that will take you to that next level. But as these important moments reach their peak, distractions and obstacles suddenly loom that can easily steer an athlete off path. But it's at this moment, in my opinion, that truly defines the athlete.

Have you received a phone call from somebody stating to be the athletic trainer working with your son or daughter?  Ever wonder what an athletic trainer does?  Perhaps you only know them as the person who tapes up your child before practice and gives them an ice bag afterward.  Or maybe one has worked closely with your child after an injury to return them to play.

Any well planned sports program has a stack of paperwork for you to fill out. The most important information you fully complete should be the medical history and consent packet. School and athletic programs require pre-participation physicals for good reason. These help rule out any pre-existing injuries or conditions that may be problematic once the players begins sports.

Have you come across the situation where an athlete is injured or you are at an away game and your son or daughter is injured and the first question is… “where is the nearest hospital?”  Sometimes this question comes frantically due to the seriousness of the injury. The importance of being prepared for these situations allows follow-up care to happen smoothly.

As an athletic trainer I carry a whole stockpile of supplies ready for blood, fractures, sprains, strains and other emergencies.  As a coach or parent, you probably don’t need a big medical kit equipped with all the latest gear but you do need some standard first aid supplies. If you are at a game or practice and there isn’t an athletic trainer, EMT, paramedic or even a first aid responder available, being prepared for small injuries is crucial to staying in the game and caring for your player. I’ve included some pictures of key items you should stock in your first aid kit.

Some rules will undoubtedly be violated during games and practices. And that is just part of the game. But don't make the mistake of getting ejected by displaying poor behavior on the field.

Tournament play can take a major toll on an athlete’s body. By utilizing the following guidelines for recovery between games, players will improve performance during these grueling tournaments. It will also ensure that they are ready to compete at their very best.