As every athlete knows, playing competitive sports in high school comes with a risk. Here in West Milford High School, almost every student has, at some point, taken a trip down to the Athletic Trainer for injuries. Concussions, sprained ankles, sore joints, strained muscles, and the occasional broken bone are all too familiar, especially on high-contact sports teams.

These setbacks are an unfortunately a major roadblock for a team with several players not cleared to play, and all athletes know the importance of bouncing back to get right into the action again. Everyone goes into sports knowing that risk of injury is simply a factor that cannot be avoided, and everyone tries to work through the temporary period where they have to sit on the sidelines to take it easy and recover properly.

Sometimes, however, injuries go unchecked or are ignored by players, which can create a very dangerous situation if an injury were to become more threatening later on. Even when athletes don’t want to lose playing time, it is imperative that students don’t ignore seemingly minor injuries that can sometimes lead to serious problems.

In extremely rare but severe cases, some injuries brushed off by the player have resulted in their tragic and unexpected deaths. A hit to the head may have only caused a slight headache during the game, but could be the warning sign of a concussion or other serious injury that needs to be checked out immediately. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the danger all sports pose, even if they are meant for recreation and fun.

Over the past several years, schools around the country have seen a substantial increase in injuries and deaths among teenagers relating to sports injuries, which can be attributed to some school’s lack of an Athletic Trainer.

In West Milford, we are thankful to have an AT, whereas some schools around the country do not, and injuries can go unnoticed or untreated.

So when a player gets injured, it’s imperative that they get the time to completely recover to get themselves back on the field or court at their peak playing ability.