Dylan Shoemaker

AHS athletic trainer Grant Waller stretches defensive end Liam Howard on the sideline of the Homecoming football game versus Sioux City East. “The body is meant to move, and when the body doesn’t move correctly, that’s when you start to get injuries,” Waller said. Photo published with permission by Dylan Shoemaker

High school sports offer a variety of benefits to student-athletes, such as community, belonging, and exercise. But along with the benefits, 90 percent of high school athletes suffer from sports-related injuries, reports PubMed Central. Anywhere from sore muscles and bruises to broken bones and torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs), injuries in high school athletics are a continuous issue. 

Injuries are not an uncommon thing in student-athletes due to their competitive nature. 

“I think kids are a lot healthier now and they’re more athletic, which leads to a decrease in injury,” Ankeny High (AHS) athletic trainer Grant Waller said. 

Preventative measures and recovery

Injuries in high school athletics are reportedly unavoidable, but young student-athletes are learning to avoid, recover, and get back to the game quickly. 

“Rest and recovery [is] very important,” AHS cheerleading coach Caleb Betten said. “Recovering and resting your body helps prevent injuries and keep athletes healthy.”

The focus in high school athletics is shifting from treating injuries to stopping them before they happen. This can include stretching, icing, and rolling out. 

“Before the season even begins, [athletes] need to be taking advantage of strength and conditioning,” Waller said. “Recovery is probably one of the most important things in athletics.”

To improve and get back to competing in a timely manner, athletes seemingly have to love the sport and have a drive to heal. 

“I take recovery more seriously because I don’t want to get injured again,” senior wrestler Ben Walsh said. 

Student-athletes are learning how to take care of their bodies, even if it’s learned the hard way. Injuries can bring out the why in athletes, why they keep going. 

A Coach’s responsibility

A crucial part of any athlete’s comeback begins with the coaches who keep players involved, ensuring they stay connected, confident, and valued.

“I think supporting athletes and being positive during the process is important,” Betten said. “Being patient helps the [healing] process and helps prevent injuries from recurring.”

Coaches play a critical role in both preventing and responding to injuries, making their training and awareness just as important as the athletes’ performance. 

“A lot of it comes with practice planning, making sure they’re not overworking athletes, making sure the conditions are safe,” Waller said. 

The kind of careful attention required to keep athletes safe doesn’t just show up in the way practices are run, reportedly. It seemingly also shapes how coaches support their athletes when challenges arise. 

“The [coaches] felt for me and kept me involved in the sport,” junior Ben Fairchild said. 

The “play through it” mentality 

As questions grow about the risks of competing while hurt, athletes open up about the realities of playing through pain. 

“It [competing while injured] leaves [athletes] more vulnerable to other injuries throughout the body,” Waller said. 

That vulnerability is something athletes reportedly don’t always recognize until a severe injury occurs. 

“I kept pushing, and my leg kept getting worse,”  junior cheerleader Sophia Boettger said about her hamstring tear. 

Despite the physical toll, the need to stay on the field may outweigh concerns about long-term health.

“Mentally, sometimes there can be a lot of pressure and kids want to push themselves to the limit… kids also have to realize what the safe limit is,” Waller said.

Benefits of injuries

What begins as a setback can often turn into a source of strength, where athletes can learn patience, resilience, and perspective.

“I learned [how] to persevere through hard moments,”  Fairchild said. 

Turns out, hitting pause on the season can sometimes push athletes forward in unexpected ways.

“I don’t take it for granted anymore. I used to complain a lot at practice, but now I know what it feels like to not be able to compete,”  junior cheerleader Ellie Woods said. 

Seemingly, perspective and appreciation are not always known but learned. 

“A lot of good things can come out of an injury,” Waller said.