The Start of the School Year

School is starting all over the country and thoughts have turned or will be turning to sending our children back to school and everything that is involved with that. Getting school supplies, buying new clothes for the kids, figuring out drop off and pickup schedules and organizing children after school activities including their youth sports activities.  Now, as I have been writing, youth sports have become a year-round deal with children playing about 12 months a year so you would think that the start of school/youth sports year should be a seamless transition; however, that does not seem to be the truth, meaning that we, as parents, have to plan for our children to ensure that all their needs, both scholastically and athletically are being met to the fullest. 

            The “I love to Watch You Play” website gives a list of how to minimize “Back-To-School Stress for your Student Athlete” and the list is as follows:

1.     Get ahead of the stress

2.     Balance, balance, balance

3.     Figure out how to get the 8 hours or more of sleep every night

4.     Reduce extra/outside performance or fitness training to quick 15 minute “at home” routines, and,

5.     Modify nutrition for all day energy and alertness

Again, as with other lists I have posted, this seems like a common sense way to deal with our young athletes and the back to school stress that they may be suffering from; however, with today’s “winner takes all/get the scholarship at all costs” society that we live in today parents, in some cases, are putting their child’s athletic endeavors before their child’s education, and in some cases their health, all in the name of their child’s athletic pursuits, which include getting that elusive/coveted athletic scholarship, which in the past I have stated less 1% of the children playing youth sports acquire.

            In a July 25, 2024, netexmarketing, for Royse City Hospital, published an article entitled “Back to School Sports Safety Tips”.  The article stated “With the busy activities of back-to-school preparations, such as shopping for school supplies and enrolling in the right courses, parents often overlook sports injury prevention. Each year, about 30 million children (about the population of Texas) participate in organized sports, which provides a lot of benefits for children, such as a chance to exercise and build teamwork and leadership skills. However, with physical activity comes the risk of injuries. Research shows that 3.5 million children (about twice the population of Nebraska) ages14 and under get hurt annually playing sports. Additionally, two million high school athletes suffer from severe injuries each year, with over 30,000 hospitalizations. Surprisingly, despite these high numbers, the National Athletic Trainer Association reports that only 37% of U.S. public high schools have a full-time athletic trainer to medically assist student-athletes”.  This article also gives a quick list of things that parents can do to avoid severe with their children as follows:

1.     Keep hydrated

2.     Watch for Injury Burnout

3.     Wear Proper Equipment

4.     Talk to your child, and,

5.     Schedule a Back-to-School Sports Physical

Yet another list that is nothing more than common sense, yet one that does not seem to be followed. Of the two lists I would say that the most prominent issues are as follows:

·      Watching for Injury Burnout

·      Talking to your child, and,

·       Scheduling a back to school physical.

The reason that I chose these three to focus on is as follows:

·       Watching for Injury Burnout – “Children’s bones are still growing and more vulnerable under stress, leaving them at potential risk for overuse injuries. It is important to encourage your child to listen to their body, take adequate rest and recovery time, and avoid overtraining or overscheduling that goes beyond their limits.”  Many times, children will not tell their coaches or parents that they are hurt due to not wanting to take the chance that their playing time may be curtailed if anyone thinks that they are hurt, leading to more serious injuries

·      Talking to your child – “Sometimes, athletic trainers may not be available to assist young athletes in need of medical attention. It is important for parents to educate their children about practicing sports safety, like the significance of stretching to loosen muscles and reduce the risk of serious injuries before engaging in physical activity.”  It is incumbent on parents to ensure that they are watching out for the health of their child and ensuring that they are practicing/playing if they are hurt.

·      Scheduling a back to school physical – “All student-athletes are encouraged to visit a doctor for a physical exam before the sports season begins. Your child can be evaluated for any preexisting health conditions that may contribute to the risk of injury.”  Probably the most important of the “back to school sports safety tips” is to get a physical for your child to ensure that all is well with them before they start the hectic cycle of school/youth sports.

Finally, not only should the physical aspects be minimized for our young student athletes, but the mental health aspects must be watched also. In an article written by Thomas Bills, M.D. published August 25, 2022, Dr Bills states that “while sports are to be enjoyed and celebrated, there is still an element of stress and pressure that many athletes may experience. It’s important to keep in perspective that though the goal may be to win or become the champion of the moment, sports also exist to teach us valuable life principles and strengthen our minds and bodies.”  He goes on further to state “A recent NCAA study found that mental health issues are a big concern for student athletes. An Association-wide survey of more than 9,800 students reported that while more than half of male and female college athletes know where to go if they have mental health concerns, 20 percent fewer said they would feel comfortable seeking help.”

So as parents, it is incumbent on us to ensure that we are not worrying about our young student athletes winning championships and getting the nearly non-existent college scholarship but rather, ensure that our children are having fun; learning what youth sports should be teaching them, teamwork, how to win and lose gracefully, etc. and more importantly ensure that they are healthy and stay healthy while playing their chosen sport.