Bully on campus & online 9781422230459, 1422230457

Table of contents :
Title Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One: Real-Life Stories
Chapter Two: What Makes Playing Sports Dangerous?
Chapter Three: Staying Safe and Being Prepared
Chapter Four: What Can You Do to Stay Safe?
Find Out More
Index
About the Author & Consultant and Picture Credits
Blank Page

Citation preview

Sports

Bully on Campus & Online Drugs & Alcohol Gunman on Campus Natural Disasters Navigating Cyberspace Peer Pressure & Relationships Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases Road Safety Sports Stranger Danger Terrorism & Perceived Terrorism Threats

Sports

Christie Marlowe

Mason Crest

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com Copyright © 2015 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in the United States of America. First printing 987654321 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3044-2 ISBN: 978-1-4222-3053-4 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-8837-5 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Marlowe, Christie. Sports / Christie Marlowe. pages cm. -- (Safety first) Includes index. Audience: Ages 10+ Audience: Grade 4 to 6. ISBN 978-1-4222-3053-4 (hardback)—ISBN 978-1-4222-3044-2 (series)—ISBN 978-14222-8837-5 (ebook) 1. Sports--Safety measures--Juvenile literature. 2. Sports injuries--Juvenile literature. I. Title. GV344.M35 2015 796.028’9--dc23 2014003854

Contents Introduction 1. Real-Life Stories 2. What Makes Playing Sports Dangerous? 3. Staying Safe and Being Prepared 4. What Can You Do to Stay Safe? Find Out More Index About the Author & Consultant and Picture Credits

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Introduction

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o task is more important than creating safe schools for all children. It should not require an act of courage for parents to send their children to school nor for children to come to school. As adults, we must do everything reasonable to provide a school climate that is safe, secure, and welcoming—an environment where learning can flourish. The educational effectiveness and the strength of any nation is dependent upon a strong and effective educational system that empowers and prepares young people for meaningful and purposeful lives that will promote economic competitiveness, national defense, and quality of life. Clearly adults are charged with the vital responsibility of creating a positive educational climate. However, the success of young people is also affected by their own participation. The purpose of this series of books is to articulate what young adults can do to ensure their own safety, while at the same time educating them as to the steps that educators, parents, and communities are taking to create and maintain safe schools. Each book in the series gives young people tools that will empower them as participants in this process. The result is a model where students have the information they need to work alongside parents, educators, and community leaders to tackle the safety challenges that face young people every day. Perhaps one of the most enduring and yet underrated challenges facing young adults is bullying. Ask parents if they can remember the schoolyard bully from when they were in school, and the answers are quite revealing. Unfortunately, the situation is no better today—and new venues for bullying exist in the twenty-first-century world that never existed before. A single bully can intimidate not only a single student but an entire classroom, an entire school, and even an entire community. The problem is underscored by research from the National School Safety Center and the United States Secret Service that indicates that bullying was involved in 80 percent of school shootings over the past two decades. The title in this series that addresses this problem is a valuable and essential tool for promoting safety and stopping bullying. Another problem that has been highlighted by the media is the threat of violence on our school campuses. In reality, research tells us that schools are the safest place for young people to be. After an incident like Columbine or Sandy Hook, however, it is difficult for the public, including students, to understand that a youngster is a hundred times more likely to be assaulted or killed

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at home or in the community than at school. Students cannot help but absorb the fears that are so prevalent in our society. Therefore, a frank, realistic, discussion of this topic, one that avoids hysteria and exaggeration, is essential for our young people. This series offers a title on this topic that does exactly that. It addresses questions such as: How do you deal with a gunman on the campus? Should you run, hide, or confront? We do not want to scare our children; instead, we want to empower them and reassure them as we prepare them for such a crisis. The book also covers the changing laws and school policies that are being put in place to ensure that students are even safer from the threat of violence in the school. “Stranger danger” is another safety threat that receives a great deal of attention in the modern world. Again, the goal should be to empower rather than terrify our children. The book in this series focusing on this topic provides young readers with the essential information that will help them be “safety smart,” not only at school but also between home and school, at play, and even when they are home alone. Alcohol and drug abuse is another danger that looms over our young people. As many as 10 percent of American high school students are alcoholics. Meanwhile, when one student was asked, “Is there a drug problem in your school?” her reply was, “No, I can get all the drugs I want.” A book in this series focuses on this topic, giving young readers the information they need to truly comprehend that drugs and alcohol are major threats to their safety and well-being. From peer pressure to natural disasters, from road dangers to sports safety, the Safety First series covers a wide range of other modern concerns. Keeping children and our schools safe is not an isolated challenge. It will require all of us working together to create a climate where young people can have safe access to the educational opportunities that will promote the success of all children as they transition into becoming responsible citizens. This series is an essential tool for classrooms, libraries, guidance counselors, and community centers as they face this challenge. Dr. Ronald Stephens Executive Director National School Safety Center www.schoolsafety.us

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Words to Know confidence: Good feelings you have about yourself. community: The people around you, in your family, school, town, neighborhood, or city. professional sports: The level of sports in which athletes are paid to play. injuries: Any damage done to the body.

Chapter One

Real-Life Stories

S

ince he was nearly old enough to walk, sports were a big part of Justin’s life. He seemed to be gifted at whatever sport he tried. But baseball quickly became his favorite. As much as he liked playing sports, what he really loved were the friends he made and the look of pride on his parents’ faces when he and his team won a game. Sports can be very good for you. They can build up your confidence, be a way to meet new people, give you a sense of community, and get your body moving. But as Justin would learn, if you don’t put your safety first, sports can be incredibly dangerous!

JUSTIN TRIES TO “SUCK IT UP” When Justin first started playing sports, it was all fun and games. When he was young, his father invited his friends and their children for games of softball in their backyard. A barbecue followed the games. They talked about professional sports, laughed, and enjoyed each other’s company. No one was worried about winning the game. The games, then, were really about a group of friends having a reason to get together and have some fun. Of course, the adults kept score, and everyone tried to help their team win the game. But doing your best was all a part of the fun. Having fun was still the most important thing. And if someone

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Although a sports injury might seem minor, it’s important to treat it as soon as possible so you don’t hurt yourself further. Wearing an elastic brace is one way to treat a sprain.

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put winning before having fun, Justin’s father would pull them aside. “It’s hard for everyone to have fun when all you care about is winning,” Justin’s father would say, and he was right. When Justin got a little older, this started to change. A few of Justin’s friends signed up for Little League baseball, so Justin asked if he could join, too. Justin’s father was happy to see his son was interested in sports, so the next day, he signed Justin up and even offered to coach one of the teams. Justin’s father was a good Little League coach. He treated all kids equally and cared a lot more about having fun than winning. The first few years of Little League were a lot of fun for Justin. He grew closer to his friends on the team and learned a lot about the game. His favorite positions were pitcher and third base. Justin had a strong arm, which is important for third basemen. There is a lot of distance between first and third base. Being able to quickly throw the ball from third to first meant he could get a lot of kids out when they hit the ball his way. After a few years, Justin’s father stopped coaching. His work schedule changed, which made it hard for him to make it to practices. But he never missed one of Justin’s games. He loved to see Justin having fun with his friends. Justin’s friend Tony’s father took on coaching duties. He was a lot more competitive than Justin’s father. When someone is competitive, he cares about being better than others at something. Being competitive when playing sports can be good—if you still care about having fun. Being competitive can also make a player put his team before himself. For example, when an important game was coming up and it was Justin’s turn to pitch, Justin’s coach asked him if he wouldn’t mind letting Malik pitch instead. Malik was a better pitcher than Justin, who was the best third baseman on the team. Justin liked pitching and was sad to give up the position to another player. But he knew that his team would have a better chance of winning if Malik was pitching and he was on third. He told his coach he didn’t mind and only wanted what was best for the team. This was a good decision. Justin’s team won the game by only a run, and he knew they might have lost had he pitched. Being too competitive and caring too much about whether your team wins or loses can be very dangerous. Not only can it take the fun out of the game, it can lead someone to put winning before her own health and safety. You move a lot when you play sports, and small bumps and bruises are bound to happen. When someone is too competitive, she may think she should just “suck it up,” or continue playing despite the pain. Some very competitive people think sucking it up is an important part of playing sports. For example, Justin was fielding a ground ball at third base when a small bump in the field caused the ball to pop off the ground and hit him in the face. Justin quickly scrambled for the ball and threw it to first. The player who hit the ball was called safe. Justin’s coach ran onto the field and asked if he was okay. Justin said yes, despite the large bruise that was beginning to form on his cheek, where the ball had hit him. Justin’s coach told him to take a breather and ice the bruise, but Justin refused. He wanted to stay in the game to help his team win. Justin’s coach said, “OK,” and returned to the side of the field. The next ball was hit down the third base line. This time, Justin fielded the ball well and threw it quickly to second base. The second baseman threw it to first,

Real-Life Stories

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Head injuries are especially worrying for athletes. Once you have had one concussion, you are more likely to get concussions in the future.

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If you continue to use a part of your body that you have injured, you have a good chance of hurting it even more—and if you hurt it badly enough, it might never heal all the way.

and both players were called out. The two outs ended the game, and Justin was congratulated for being so tough. Justin was proud of himself for putting his team first. But injuries during sports, especially head injuries, should be treated very seriously. Each year, many young athletes are injured permanently as a result of trying to suck it up. As Justin got older and the games he played became more and more competitive, this is what happened to him.

JUSTIN GETS KNOCKED OUT OF THE GAME FOR GOOD By the time Justin was in the eighth grade, he was one of the best players on his junior high school baseball team. That year, his batting average was .328, and he led his team with thirty-six runs batted in (RBIs). Justin’s father still never missed a game and felt a lot of pride in Justin’s hard work and passion.

Real-Life Stories

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The shoulder is what is called a ball-and-socket joint. When the ball is pulled out of the socket, it is dislocated—and once this happens once, it can happen more easily in the future.

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How Common Are Sports Injuries? Over fifty million young people play sports every year. This leads to a lot of injuries. Three and a half million people between the ages of five and fourteen are injured every year, and almost 800,000 of these injuries are considered serious. The number of injuries depends on what sport a young person is playing. Basketball, bicycling, and football caused the most injuries.

Justin’s passion came at a price, however. Justin had become extremely competitive. He hated losing a game and got very angry at himself if he made a mistake while playing. He came to believe winning was the only way to have fun. His hard work came at a price, too. And it was part of the reason he was seriously injured. Justin was eventually knocked out of the game for good. His shoulder was dislocated four painful times. A shoulder dislocation happens when the bone in the arm moves out of alignment with the bones that hold it in place. Justin’s first dislocation came during the last few weeks of eighth grade. Justin was playing volleyball in gym class. He jumped for a ball, and after spiking the ball, he heard a large pop in his shoulder. The dislocation didn’t seem serious and quickly popped back into place. Justin thought nothing of it and jumped back into the game. The next dislocation came about two weeks later, when he was playing tennis in gym class. This one was a bit more serious. His shoulder was out of place for about thirty seconds before popping back into place. With high school baseball tryouts only a few months away, Justin decided to take it easy. But he never thought of going to see a doctor. He tried out for his high school baseball team and was very happy when he made the junior varsity team. His shoulder had dislocated a third time during the tryouts, but he decided to suck it up for the sake of himself and the team. He didn’t think these dislocations were serious and never told anyone about them. Then came the first day of JV baseball practice. While warming up with one of his teammates, his shoulder dislocated for the fourth and final time. This time he heard another large pop followed by a tear. His shoulder didn’t pop back into place. And he was in a lot of pain. He was rushed to the hospital to see what was wrong. The fourth dislocation had torn four of the ligaments in shoulder right off the bones to which they were attached. Justin had to have surgery to repair his torn ligaments. He had to go to physical therapy for nine months after that. Physical therapy can involve massages, heating parts of the body, and light exercises. The doctors told Justin that all the years he spent pitching and throwing balls from third base had caused all the muscles in the back of his shoulder to become very strong and tight, and all the muscles in the front of his shoulder to become weak and loose. That was why his shoulder kept dislocating. Justin told the doctors how many times his shoulder had come out of place. They told him that if he had sought treatment for it sooner, they might have been able to prevent his serious injury.

Real-Life Stories

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Making the same kind of motion over and over, like throwing a baseball, can make certain muscles strong but others weak.

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Justin’s shoulder was OK after the surgery and physical therapy. But he never regained the strength he had before the surgery. He returned to playing baseball after finishing the physical therapy, but he was no longer the player he once was. He eventually gave up the sport he loved, because it was too difficult to compete. Justin’s story shows why even injuries that seem small have to be treated seriously. If he had seen a doctor earlier, he may not have been able to play baseball for a few months. Instead, he ended up unable to play the game he loved ever again.

Real-Life Stories

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Words to Know severe: Very serious. contact: One person’s body touching or hitting another person’s. tendon: The tough, stretchy bands that connect muscles to bones. ligaments: The tough, stretchy bands that connect bones together. recurs: When an injury or disease comes back after not hurting or affecting a person’s life for some time.

Chapter Two

What Makes Playing Sports Dangerous?

“S

ports can certainly be dangerous,” says parent Toby Millstein, “but the real danger is when injuries aren’t treated properly. This happens when kids don’t speak up or parents and coaches don’t treat all injuries seriously. Some parents and coaches don’t even know the signs of a serious injury.” Toby is thinking of his own son, Jamie, when he says this. A few years ago, Jamie received a blow to the head while playing football. The injury, called a concussion, nearly paralyzed Jamie’s entire body.

CONCUSSIONS Concussions are one of the biggest dangers of playing sports. Concussions cause a person’s brain to shake inside his head. They can either be very minor or very severe. Whether minor or severe, someone with a concussion should seek medical attention. People can often recover from a minor concussion in a matter of hours or days. Severe concussions, on the other hand, can have very dangerous consequences if they aren’t treated right away. In some rare cases, severe concussions can lead to death.

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Young people are more likely to suffer permanent effects from concussions. If you’re going to play contact sports at a young age, it is especially important to avoid and treat injuries.

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Young People and Contact Sports When it comes to concussions, age matters. The younger a child is, the more serious a concussion can be. Concussions are especially common in contact sports. Contact sports include football, hockey, and martial arts. They require an athlete to make physical contact with another player. A number of studies have come out suggesting that young people should not start playing a contact sport until they are at least ten years old. But these studies also suggest some young people need to wait until they are even older. Not all young people grow at the same rate, and some young peoples’ bodies will not have matured enough for contact sports until they are almost twelve years old.

Toby’s son, Jamie, didn’t die from his concussion. But he did suffer permanent damage to his entire body. Sadly, these consequences could have been avoided if his coaches and parents knew the signs of a severe concussion and had treated him right away. Jamie was only thirteen when he received the concussion that would change his life. He was a star player on his football team and played both offense and defense. “He never wanted to leave the field,” Jamie’s father remembers. “He wasn’t the biggest kid. But he hit harder than almost anyone else out there.” According to his father, Jamie showed how little size matters on the football field. But it was one of those hard hits that led to his injury. “He was injured when he tackled another player and hit the back of his head on the field,” Toby says, remembering Jamie’s last junior high football game. After the play, Jamie showed obvious signs of injury. The referee called a time-out, and Jamie was walked off the field. He rested during the second quarter but insisted that he felt well enough to return to the game during the second half. “Jamie seemed okay,” Toby says, talking about Jamie’s performance once he returned to the field. “But he did make a lot of contact with other players.” Because of all of this additional contact, it is hard to tell how bad Jamie’s concussion was when he first received it. But by the end of the game, Toby walked onto the field to find Jamie unable to stand. “He didn’t pass out right away,” Toby says. “He grabbed the back of his head and began rocking back and forth. Another parent and I had to carry him off the field.” Jamie was rushed to a nearby hospital. There was diagnosed with a severe concussion and had to undergo emergency surgery. His brain was swelling and pushing against the inside of his skull. The surgeons removed the left side of his skull so that his brain wouldn’t become more damaged than it already was. The surgery saved Jamie’s life. But all the damage to his brain caused him to go into a coma for three months. A coma is a state of unconsciousness that can last for a long time. Someone who is in a coma looks like she is asleep, but no one can wake her up. When Jamie finally awoke from his coma, his parents and doctors found out the real extent of

What Makes Playing Sports Dangerous?

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If you fall and fracture your leg, that’s an acute injury—but if you slowly develop a stress fracture over time, that’s a chronic injury.

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the damage to Jamie’s brain. Jamie couldn’t move any part of his body and had forgotten how to do even the most basic things. It took nine more months before Jamie spoke his first word, thirteen months before he moved an arm or leg, and over three years before Jamie could walk, with help from doctors, on his own. “The doctors are certain,” Toby says, “that his concussion could have been treated and that returning to the game so quickly contributed to the seriousness of Jamie’s injury.” Toby learned about the dangers of concussions after it was too late to help his son. “Before Jamie’s injury,” he continues, “I had heard of concussions. But I didn’t know the long-term effects or what to do. I never knew how serious it could be. I just want to get the message out there.” According to Toby, concussions like Jamie’s are very common. About two and half million people under the age of nineteen are treated for concussions every year. This makes up the majority of sports injuries that young people suffer. Almost 200,000 of these concussions are as serious as Jamie’s. But knowing the signs of a serious concussion and seeking treatment as soon as possible can prevent effects as serious and permanent as those that Jamie endured. “Most athletes just accept that sports, especially contact sports like football and hockey, can be very dangerous,” Toby says. “But some dangers are unacceptable.” For Toby, sports become too dangerous when they put a young person’s brain in danger. 

CHRONIC AND ACUTE INJURIES Since his son’s injury, Toby has become something of an expert on sports-related injuries. He speaks out to try to make children’s sports safer. He also wants to let parents and coaches know the very real dangers their children face every time they step on the field. According to Toby, all sports injuries can be grouped into two categories: “acute” injuries and “chronic” injuries. “Acute” is a medical term. It refers to any injury or disease that someone develops quickly. Concussions are an example of an acute injury. Some common forms of acute injuries include:   • Fracture. A fracture is a crack, break, or shattering of a bone. • Bruise. A bruise, known medically as a contusion, is caused by a direct blow, which may cause swelling and bleeding in muscles and other body tissues. • Strain. A strain is a stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon. • Sprain. A sprain is stretching or tearing of a ligament. • Abrasion. An abrasion is a scrape or small cut in the skin. • Laceration. A laceration is a cut in the skin that is usually deep enough to require stitches. “Chronic” is also a medical term. It is the opposite of acute and refers to an injury or disease that develops slowly and lasts for a long time or recurs frequently. They are also called “overuse” injuries. The shoulder injury that Justin endured in chapter 1 is an example of a chronic injury. Some common forms of chronic injuries include:

What Makes Playing Sports Dangerous?

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If you’re injured, don’t take the chance that it might get worse. Get checked out by a doctor and make sure you follow her advice about how to treat it.

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• Stress fractures. Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone’s surface often caused by doing the same thing over and over (such as in the feet of a basketball player who is always jumping on the court). • Tendonitis. Tendonitis happens when tendons become swollen. It is caused by stretching tendons too often. • Growth plate injuries. Growth plates are the areas of tissue at the ends of long bones in a young person’s body. Growth plates harden into bone when the bones have finished growing. Growth plates can become injured any number of ways. Such injuries often occur in the knee area. “Any injury,” Toby says, “can be dangerous if left untreated.” According to Toby, young people should seek medical attention no matter what kind of injury they receive. “Acute injuries,” he says, “often produce a lot of adrenaline.” Adrenaline is a chemical created by our brains to help us out in high-stress situations. “This rush of adrenaline can be dangerous,” Toby adds. Adrenaline can stop us from feeling the full effects of an injury until much later. If a young person suffers an acute injury, for example, she may think the injury is a minor one and get back in the game too quickly. Playing with an injury can cause it to get much worse. Sadly, this is something Justin and his family learned the hard way. The signs of chronic injuries are also too often overlooked. In chapter 1, we saw how Justin overlooked his shoulder dislocations until it was too late to treat them. “Young people may be tempted to ignore aching in a wrist or soreness in a knee,” Toby says. “But always remember that just because an injury doesn’t seem that big doesn’t mean it’s unimportant or will go away on its own.” As was mentioned in chapter 1, over three and a half million young people under the age of fourteen are treated for sports-related injuries every year. But young people probably suffer millions more sports-related injuries. We cannot count these injuries, because these young people are not brought to doctors’ offices or hospitals for treatment. These injuries are especially dangerous, because they go unreported and, in most cases, untreated. Speaking up about your injuries and getting proper treatment is a big part of staying safe. “Adults should encourage young people not to feel embarrassed when they are injured,” says Toby. “They need to understand that sitting out one game is a lot better than having to give up a sport for good.”

What Makes Playing Sports Dangerous?

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Words to Know prevented: Kept from happening. awareness: Knowledge that comes from learning about something. symptoms: The signs that can tell you if something is wrong with your body. irritability: Grouchiness, feeling cross. depression: Sad feelings that don’t go away. eliminated: Got rid of.

Chapter Three

Staying Safe and Being Prepared

A

s a referee for a few high school sports, Janette Williams has seen a lot of sportsrelated injuries. “I have seen too many promising athletes get knocked out of the game for good,” Janette says. “The sad part is that most of these injuries could have been prevented.” Janette says that a big part of her job as a referee is making sure that injured young people are getting the care they need. “It is surprising how many coaches and parents do not understand how serious sports-related injuries can be,” she says. “Sometimes they push young athletes back into a game too quickly. Other times, they don’t prevent a young person from diagnosing themselves as ‘okay to play’ when they clearly are not.” Young people are generally too young and inexperienced to understand the dangers that they are putting themselves by playing injured. “It is up to the adults around them,” Janette says, “to make sure that they are staying safe.”

NATIONAL YOUTH SPORTS SAFETY MONTH Health officials are becoming more and more aware of the dangers of sports-related injuries suffered by young athletes. Formed in 1989, the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation (NYSSF) has made April the National Youth Sports Safety Month in order to spread awareness about the dangers of sports-related injuries. “More than anything else,” Janette says, “this month is about raising awareness.”

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Many contact sports, such as football, require that players wear protective equipment. This helps prevent many injuries, but there is always a risk of hurting yourself, especially with a full-contact sport.

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Many young, talented athletes feel a pressure to do well in their sport, so they’re often unwilling to take time off from practicing to recover from an injury.

As Janette has said, most sports-related injuries can be prevented. A goal of the NYSFF is making adults and kids aware of the dangers of sports-related injuries and pushing them to take the precautions that can prevent many of these injuries. “Some injuries will happen no matter what,” Janette says, “but taking precautions will prevent a lot of these injuries or keep them from being worse than they have to be.” During April, parents and coaches are encouraged to host sports safety events, write their local newspapers, enter contests about sports safety, and post safety tips on social media websites. “Awareness is important,” Janette says. “I have seen it save lives.” When she says this, Janette is thinking about a young wrestler she once knew. “The young man received a concussion when a teammate accidentally rolled onto his head during practice,” she says. He sat out the rest of the practice. But when his mother picked him up, she noticed something was wrong and took him to the emergency room. The doctor diagnosed him with a concussion and instructed him to not return to wrestling for at least a month. Despite this advice, the young man sneaked out to practice after a week. He didn’t tell his coach that he wasn’t supposed to be there. Fortunately, his coach knew about the symptoms of concussions and noticed something was wrong with the young wrestler. He pulled him out of practice, saying that he needed a doctor’s note before returning to practice. “The young man’s doctor said that the coach probably saved his life,” Janette says. “It isn’t easy to keep an eager and talented athlete on the sidelines, especially when he or she wants to get back into the game. Sometimes people believe that it shows strength and courage to play when you’re

Staying Safe and Being Prepared

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Even a small bump to the head can cause a concussion. If you start to feel sick, have any trouble with your vision, or have problems sleeping or thinking clearly, get it looked at right away!

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injured. Not only is that belief wrong, it can put a young athlete at risk for serious injury. Awareness is not only the key to battling this belief, but it might just save some lives.”

UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNS OF A CONCUSSION Jamie’s story in chapter 2 shows the importance of parents and coaches understanding the signs and risks of concussions. And an important part of raising awareness about sports-related injuries has been informing parents and coaches about the signs of concussions and other injuries. “Too many coaches do not know the signs of a concussion,” Janette says. Hearing stories like Jamie’s, she has taken it upon herself to understand these signs in order to keep the young people she refs safe. She often has to expel young people from games, because their coaches want to put them back into play when she suspects them of a having suffered a concussion. “And it’s not only a worry in contact sports,” she says. Of the three sports she coaches, she sees the most concussions in girls’ soccer games. “The dangerous thing about concussions,” she continues, “is that they can occur because of even a small bump to the head and can be very hard to diagnose right after they happen.” Many people think someone has to be knocked unconscious to receive a concussion. “This simply is not true,” Janette says. In fact, most young people aren’t knocked out due to a head injury. But this doesn’t mean that the head injury isn’t serious or doesn’t need treatment. A panel of doctors has recently updated their recommendations involving young people and concussions. They recommend that any young person who has sustained a head injury not return to the field or court that day. According to these doctors, sitting out the rest of the game will give the young person enough time develop the symptoms of a concussion and seek treatment if needed. The recommendations, if followed by Jamie’s coaches, might have saved him from the devastating effects of the concussion he suffered playing football. According to the Family Medicine Associates, the symptoms of a concussion fall into four categories:   • Mental. Mental symptoms include confusion, memory loss, being slow to answer questions and follow commands, and being easily distracted. • Physical. Physical symptoms include headaches, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, clumsiness or balance problems, blurry vision, sensitivity to light or noise, or loss of consciousness. • Emotional. Emotional symptoms include nervousness or anxiousness, sadness, irritability or mood swings, and inappropriate behavior. • Sleep problems. Sleep problems include difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking at night, and tiredness during the day. “Most of these symptoms,” Janette says, “develop a few hours after a young person receives a blow to the head. And a young person may not know what is happening to them.” This makes it especially important for parents to understand these symptoms and for all head injuries to be treated seriously.

Staying Safe and Being Prepared

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Many student athletes are eager to return to the game as soon as possible after getting a concussion—but like with other injuries, it’s important to rest the body and mind to let them heal properly.

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Understanding the Signs of Other Injuries “Adults need to understand the signs of other kinds of injuries, too,” Janette says. “Many young people don’t want to be taken out of the game because of an injury. Sometimes, they won’t speak up when they have been injured. In these cases, it takes an adult being aware of the signs of an injury.” The signs of acute injuries are often very obvious. But according to Janette, an adult should act if they see a young person limping, rubbing any part of their body repeatedly, rotating any part of their body repeatedly, or showing any other signs of pain or weakness. “The NYSSF is doing a great job spreading awareness about sports-related injuries,” Janette says. “But awareness can only do so much. A young person also needs to be able to have the courage to admit when they need to sit out a game or get treatment for an injury.”

NEW LAWS AND REGULATIONS A number of tragic stories, like Jamie’s from chapter 1, have caused lawmakers and sports officials to change the rules surrounding youth and sports-related injuries. “Many people do not like these new laws and regulations,” Janette says, “but they are an important part of protecting young people.” According to Janette, young people cannot physically handle the same kind of moves that adults and professionals can. This leads to more injuries. Their injuries are often more severe and take longer to recover from. “Not only that,” Janette says, “but young people also have school to worry about. School should be the most important thing for a young person. Being kept out of school because of a sportsrelated injury only hurts their ability to succeed.” Concussions can be especially dangerous when it comes to a young person’s performance in school. This was the case for Shelby, a high school cheerleader, whose story prompted the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) to create a new regulation regarding high school cheerleading. During a practice her junior year, the side of Shelby’s head collided with her teammate’s while performing a “double down.” A double down is a stunt where a cheerleader is tossed, goes through two full rotations in the air, and then lands in the arms of her teammates. The blow to her head resulted in a minor concussion, which kept Shelby away from cheerleading practice for five weeks. Eventually, doctors cleared Shelby to return to cheerleading. A few months later, Shelby received a second concussion, cheering at a basketball game. Her head hit the ground after a failed stunt. Her symptoms this time were more severe. She was sensitive to noise and light, began fainting, was frequently nervous, developed depression, and was almost constantly tired. This concussion kept Shelby away from school for four weeks. “The time after a severe concussion is important,” Janette says, “because any ‘mental activity,’ such as schoolwork, needs to be avoided for the brain to heal.”

Staying Safe and Being Prepared

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MRI scans allow doctors to see if the brain has been injured after a bump to the head.

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Sports

Unfortunately, the symptoms of Shelby’s second concussion lasted a very long time. “I just wanted to get better. I wanted to get good grades” Shelby says, thinking of the confusing time after her second concussion. As her grades dropped, Shelby struggled with focusing and suffered severe memory problems. Four years later, Shelby is still working hard to recover from the effects of her concussions. However, her story, and similar stories of other young cheerleaders, caught the attention of Jim Lord, executive director of the AACCA. The AACCA reviewed a number of head injuries in cheerleading and realized the risks of dangerous moves like the double down. “Professional athletes,” Janette says, “are able to take the time to recover from their injuries. But a young person’s schoolwork will not wait for them to recover.” The AACCA decided to eliminate double downs from high school cheerleading in order to make cheerleading safer and to keep young cheerleaders—like Shelby—where they belong: at their desks at school. Unfortunately, not all sports associations regulate the dangers of their sports quickly enough. “In these cases,” Janette says, “lawmakers are stepping in to help.” In May 2009, the state of Washington passed a bill, called the Lystedt Law, that protects young athletes from the potentially lifelong consequences that returning to the game too soon can cause. The law is named after Zackery Lystedt, a young athlete who, like Jamie from chapter 1, was permanently disabled after returning to a game too quickly after receiving a concussion. The new law states that any young person who shows signs of a concussion needs to be examined and cleared by a licensed health-care provider before returning to the game. “There is no one tougher than my son,” said Zackery’s father after the bill was passed. “Sometimes players and parents wrongly believe that it shows strength and courage to play injured. Battling pain is [respected and congratulated]. Zack couldn’t swallow or hold his head up. Strength is seeing Zack stand up out of his wheelchair and learning to talk again.”

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Words to Know flexibility: The ability to bend and stretch. motivate: To push forward or inspire, often with encouragement to do better.

Chapter Four

What Can You Do to Stay Safe?

“Y

oung people need to take the risks of sports-related injuries seriously,” says Coach Daniela Rios. “Only the athletes themselves can prevent these injuries.” Daniela has coached Little League softball and soccer for many years. She has seen many injuries, and she knows how to prevent them. But, as she says, teaching young people the dangers of sports and how to prevent injuries is only half of keeping them safe. “The other half,” she says, “involves them taking these risks seriously and then doing everything they can to keep themselves safe.”

WARMING UP AND STRETCHING The first part of staying safe in any sport is warming up and stretching. These are important, because people tend to stand or sit in the same position most of the day. They use the same muscles over and over again. These muscles become tight and don’t get a lot of blood flowing to them. Warming up and stretching loosens us and gets our muscles moving. Warming up involves doing some light physical activity, like taking a short jog or doing some jumping jacks. It gets the blood flowing to our muscles and increases our breathing and heart rates. “I always have my teams start with a few laps around the field,” Daniela says. “My athletes

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Warming up and stretching before you exercise can help to keep you from injuring yourself.

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When you pull too hard on a muscle or a tendon that hasn’t been stretched out, you can damage it. This is called a sprain or a strain.

are always tired and tight after a full day of school. Having them warm up is a great way to start a practice, because it gets their muscles ready to perform and their minds focused on giving it their all.” Warming up also begins the process of stretching out an athlete’s muscles. Stretching is any series of light exercises meant to increase someone’s flexibility before working out or playing sports. Stretching is especially important, because tight muscles can lead to injuries. “A lot of my athletes become lazy when they stretch either because they are tired or because they don’t see the importance of it. I call out my athletes by name if I think that they are stretching lazily. It isn’t a perfect way to motivate them, but sometimes they aren’t aware of it themselves.” A tight muscle pulled too hard in one direction can lead to muscle tears, strains, or sprains. “Sitting in those desks all days gets my athletes’ back and leg muscles really tight. And I can always tell when some of my athletes have a test coming up. They run especially slow during warm-ups

What Can You Do to Stay Safe?

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It’s important to stretch all your major muscle groups before you exercise—but specific attention should be paid to those muscles that you’re going to be using the most.

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People wear different protective gear in each sport, designed to protect against the kinds of injuries they are likely to receive.

and have less flexibility when they are stretching.” Daniela is noticing the effects that stress has on a person’s body. Stress is when we feel pressure from something, like having to take a test. Stress can make a person’s muscles tighten up and increase the risk of injuries. Stretching often focuses on the muscle groups that an athlete uses the most during the sport she plays. Soccer players, for example, need to stretch out their legs more than some players of other sports might have to. But stretching out every muscle group, no matter what sport you are playing, will help you perform your best and stay safe.

WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR Protective gear is anything you wear that helps keep you from getting hurt. The kind of protective gear that you wear depends on the sport that you play. “Wearing the gear is important,” Daniela says, “but wearing it properly is the most important part of wearing it all.” When you wear protective gear improperly, it can put you at serious risk of an injury. Wearing cleats or sneakers that are too big for you, for example, increases your chances of falling while playing. And wearing a helmet that is too big for you or without the chin strap securely fastened means your helmet may fall off when you really need it.

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When moving around quickly on a slippery or wet ground, athletes can get hurt. Cleats or spikes are special shoes that give them more traction.

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Sports

Other Ways of Preventing Sports-Related Injuries According to Coach Daniela Rios, there are two other ways to prevent sports-related injuries: knowing the rules of the game and watching out for other players. “The rules are there for a reason,” Daniela says. “And breaking the rules can be extremely dangerous.” Watching out for other players is important, too. This means staying aware of and using good communication with your teammates. For instance, a baseball player in the outfield might yell, “I got it,” to avoid a collision with another outfielder.

Helmets are the most common kind of protective gear. They are worn while playing football, hockey, baseball, and softball, and while biking, skateboarding, and inline skating, as well as other sports. Wearing the right kind of helmet is important. And wearing it properly means that it fits snugly but comfortably. “No matter what age or softball I am coaching,” Daniela says, “before every season, I give a lesson on how to wear a batting helmet properly. Softballs are large and hard. I have been hit in the head by a softball without having my helmet on. Trust me, it is not something that anyone wants to experience.” Helmets are not the only kind of protective gear that needs to fit snugly but comfortably. According to Daniela, remembering these few words, “snugly but comfortably,” is the key to wearing any protective gear properly. Other sports require eye protection; mouth guards; pads; wrist, elbow, or knee guards; or a protective cup (for boys only). Cleats are an important part of staying safe when playing football, baseball, softball, and soccer. These shoes have special rubber or plastic points on the soles to help your feet grip the ground when you run around. “I don’t let my girls onto the field without a pair of cleats on,” Daniela says. “It annoys me when they forget to bring them,” she says, “but having them sit out a practice is much better than letting them hurt themselves and watching them have to sit out a whole season.”

SPEAKING UP “As long as people are playing sports, we can be sure that injuries will happen,” Daniela says. “Some of them can’t be avoided, no matter how safe you are. Young people need to know what to do when they have been injured. And speaking up is always the best thing that a young person can do.” Many of the stories in this book show how dangerous it can be to try and suck it up or shake it off when you have been injured. Trying to shake off an injury can turn a small, treatable injury into a very serious one. When you experience an injury—no matter what kind—speak up! Sitting out a few plays or a game is much better than the possible consequences of playing while injured. “Knowing when to speak up is an important part of the battle,” Daniela says. If you experience any of the following symptoms, it is important to speak up and seek treatment from a coach or doctor:

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Take care of your body and listen to it when you get hurt, and you can have fun playing sports for a long time!

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• Joint pain. Joints are the parts of your body where one bone meets another, like the knee, ankle, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. They are important for playing any sport. They are not covered by much muscle, which makes them very sensitive to injury. • Swelling. Nearly all sports injuries cause swelling. Swelling is usually quite obvious to anyone looking at the injury. But occasionally a young person may just feel as though something is swollen even though it looks normal. Swelling is often accompanied by pain, redness, and heat in the swollen body part. • Losing range of motion. When you have lost your range of motion, a limb will only go so far in each direction. Compare one side of the body with the other to see any big differences. If there are any, you likely have an injury that needs attention. • Weakness on one side of the body. Comparing one side to the other for weakness is often hard to do, but it can be helpful to see if you have an injury. One way to tell is to lift the same weight with the right and left sides, and look at the result. Or try to place body weight on one leg and then the other. A difference in your ability to support your weight is another tip-off that an injury requires attention. • Numbness and tingling. Never ignore numbness or tingling. Such sensations are often related to nerve damage. These warning signs may indicate serious injury that should always be seen by a doctor. Remember, keeping quiet can keep you out of the game. All sports can be risky. Put your safety first if you want to perform your best!

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Find Out More ONLINE Five Ways to Avoid Sports Injuries kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/sport_safety.html A Guide to Safety for Young Athletes orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00307 Safe Kids Worldwide: Sports Safety Tips www.safekids.org/tip/sports-safety-tips Sports Injury Fact Sheet www.wwgh.com/search/webpages/facts/sports.htm STOP Sports Injuries www.stopsportsinjuries.org

IN BOOKS Gibbons, Alan. Total Football: Injury Time. London, UK: Orion’s Children Books, 2010. Lennard-Brown, Sarah. Health Issues: Sports Injuries. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann Library, 2004. McClafferty, Carla Killough. Fourth Down and Inches: Concussions and Football: Make-or-Break Moment. Minneapolis, Minn.: Carolrhoda Books, 2013. Li, WenFang. Extreme Sports. Philadelphia, Penn.: Mason Crest Publishers, 2011. Roberts, Robbin. Sports Injuries: How to Stay Safe. Minneapolis, Minn.: Millbrook Press, 2001.

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Index athlete 8, 12–13, 21, 23, 27, 29, 31, 35, 37, 39, 41–42



ball-and-socket joint 14 baseball 9, 11, 13, 15–17, 43 bone 15, 18, 23, 25, 45 brain 19, 21, 23, 25, 33–34 bruise 11, 23

laws 33, 35 losing 15, 45

coaching 11, 43 competition 17 concussion 12, 19–21, 23, 29–33, 35 confidence 8–9 consequences 19, 21, 35, 43 contact sports 20–21, 23, 28, 31

passion 13, 15 practice 15, 29, 33, 39, 43 protective gear 41, 43

dislocated 14–15 doctor 15, 17, 21, 23–25, 29, 31, 33–34, 43, 45

safety 9, 11, 27, 29, 45 shoulder 14–15, 17, 23, 25, 45 sports 8–11, 13, 15, 17, 19–21, 23, 25, 27–29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43–45 sprain 10, 23, 39 strain 23, 39 stretch 36, 39–41 stretching 23, 25, 37–39, 41 surgery 15, 17, 21

equipment 28 exercise 15, 38–40 flexibility 36, 39, 41 football 15, 19, 21, 23, 28, 31, 43 fracture 22–23, 25 games 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31–33, 35, 43, 45 gym class 15 injuries 8, 10, 12–13, 15, 17–23, 25, 27–29, 31–33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45 acute 22–23, 25, 33

chronic 22–23, 25 permanent 13, 20–21, 23, 35

motion 16, 45 muscles 15–16, 18, 23, 37, 39–41, 45

referee 21, 27 regulation 33

team 9, 11, 13, 15, 21, 37 teammates 15, 29, 33, 43 tendon 18, 23, 25, 39 therapy 15, 17 winning 9, 11, 15

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About the Author & Consultant Christie Marlowe was raised in New York City where she lives with her husband and works as a writer, journalist, and web designer. Dr. Ronald D. Stephens currently serves as executive director of the National School Safety Center. His past experience includes service as a teacher, assistant superintendent, and school board member. Administrative experience includes serving as a chief school business officer, with responsibilities over school safety and security, and as vice president of Pepperdine University. Dr. Stephens has conducted more than 1000 school security and safety site assessments throughout the United States. He was described by the Denver Post as “the nation’s leading school crime prevention expert.” Dr. Stephens serves as consultant and frequent speaker for school districts, law enforcement agencies and professional organizations worldwide. He is the author of numerous articles on school safety as well as the author of School Safety: A Handbook for Violence Prevention. His career is distinguished by military service. He is married and has three children.

Picture Credits Dreamstime.com: 8: Lforquer 10: Nancy Dressel 12: Ia64 13: Błażej Łyjak 14: Sebastian Kaulitzki 18: Jack Dagley 20: James Boardman 22: Gan Hui 26: Mary Katherine Wynn 28: Nicholas Moore 29: Louis Horch 32: Arenacreative

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34: Marina Scurupii 36: Martinmark 38: Suprijono Suharjoto 39: Martinmark 40: Scott Griessel 41: James Boardman 42: Martinmark 44: Get4net Fotolia.com: 16: Rob Byron 24: stockyimages 30: Jane Doe