The ugly side of sports

     With students being in sports there are many injuries that can happen. Some injuries can be minor while others can require surgery. At CHS many people know what it is like to encounter problems like this. 

     With sport injuries comes not being able to play or do your sport if the injury is bad enough. According to stopsportsinjuries.org, “High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries and 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations each year.” 

     Trainer Amanda Miles ends up seeing all the CHS injuries that are sport related. She says the worst she has seen since she became Cascade’s sports trainer would be senior Mason Tharp’s colles fracture. But in her whole career, the worst injury would be a dislocated ankle or an Achilles rupture.

Tharp’s injury had him sidelined from football for four week sand basketball for nine weeks. He had to go through physical therapy and recovery from surgery.

Senior Brayden Stinnett tore his labrum during the beginning of football season. He had to undergo surgery and now he has missed wrestling his senior year.

     Injuries during a sports season don’t just end up affecting that one player, it ends up affecting the whole team, especially if that one player plays a big role for the game. With Tharp and Stinnet, being out at different points during football games, the team never worried.

Coach Stephen Spinks said they always just say next man in. Of course this comes with some difficulties like calling different plays and making sure the “next man in” knows what they are doing. 

     “Trainer Amanda” said she enjoys her role with CHS athletes, because it goes deeper than just the injuries.

“ I love helping with injuries, but I love working with the kids. Building a rapport with them is such an awesome feeling. It’s not just the physical aspect of the injuries, but the mental aspect of rehabbing an athlete back to their normal.”