Book by talar sarkissian

HOPEFUL HEALING

TALAR SARKISSIAN

HOPEFUL HEALING

TALAR SARKISSIAN

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I’d like to thank Freestyle Academy as well as Mr. Taylor, Mr. Greco, and Ms. Parkinson for all their help and guidance throughout this process. I also would like to thank all of our Interviewees Shelly Smith, Achilles Walker, Josue Ibarra, and Nicole Bumgarner for sharing their opinions and stories. Lastly I would like to give a large thank you to my partner Isabella Velasco, who has been an amazing partner and friend throughout this entire project.

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Table of Contents Preface------------------------------------------------------7 Introduction----------------------------------------------10 The Breaking Point--------------------------------------13 The Process-----------------------------------------------17 The Mentality---------------------------------------------20 Conclusion------------------------------------------------24

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Preface

The Documentary project challenges Juniors at Freestyle to find a story within the local community. At first I started

with the idea to produce a documentary about Homenetmen a scouting and athletic organization. Mid way through production it became clear that in order to tell that story I would need a lot more time and resources. That’s when I switched project ideas and focused on athlete recovery. With only half the time to complete my documentary I was still motivated in exploring my topic and sharing some interesting stories.

This topic has played a large role in so many students’ lives. I know firsthand what it's like having minor injuries and was

interested in the physical and emotional journey a student athlete goes through when dealing with a severe injury. At Mountain View High School I noticed a unique angle to the path to recovery and that was the complete support and love shown by coaches, trainers, and teammates. This led me to talking with Athletic Director Shelly Smith as well as trainers and athletes on their experiences.

Archive: MVHS athletics department 7

Introduction

Sports injuries are inevitable. Every athlete, at one time or another, deals with the physical and emotional turmoil that

goes along with not being able to excel in the sport they love due to injury. No matter how well an athlete performs there is always room for improvement. This creates a competitive atmosphere where the athlete is constantly pushing their bodies to the breaking point. Being injured is just a part of the game. For most it’s a simple sprain or bruise, but for some unlucky athletes an injury could be as severe as a broken tibula or torn ACL.

During an injury, the way the athlete is encouraged by their coaches, trainers, and teammates is vital in ensuring a

successful recovery. Injuries are not only physical but take a large amount of mental struggle. One of the most important things an athlete needs is a positive support system that is able to surround them in their time of need. Whether that is right as the injury takes place or before the athlete gets back into the game, it is important to be surrounded with understanding and positive relationships to make the process as smooth as can be. This means being there for them both mentally and physically.

Archive: MVHS athletics department 10

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The Breaking Point

"The most important part is ensuring that the athlete is in good care" -Achilles Walker

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magine you’re on the defensive line in the heat of a game. Early second quarter - it’s still a close match. On the snap you fill your gap to stop the run. The linebacker behind you gets taken out and slams into your legs. You hear a loud crack followed by enough pain to make a person pass out. Before you know what’s happening your surrounded by athletic trainers loading you onto a stretcher taking you to a hospital. The EMS gives you something that's supposed to help with the pain, but all you can think about is ‘Will I ever play again?

The majority of high school athletes have been playing their sport since they could walk, either following in the footsteps of a parent or discovering a love for a new sport that is able to bring out their competitive side.

Competing and pushing themselves to excel becomes a normal expectation. This competitive level is not only challenging but is needed in order to improve.

“Physically, you need positive stress to create adaptations; psychologically, you need the challenge of positive stress to

perform at your best” (Rountree 31). However, balancing the stress between athletes and school can be more of a challenge. Student athletes are trained to balance between sports and school, which is key when they’re trying to find success in all parts of their lives.

Josue Ibarra, a Mountain View High School athlete on the Varsity Football team, describes his average week: “School, Football, and Homework...from zero period to six at night I’m with my team.” The dedication and heart student athletes show is clear, and it easily becomes understood how a school team can morph into a second family.

They’re truly a family. In wins and loses, through rough practices in the rain and sweltering days in the sun, a well-connected team stays together. This support system is especially important when injuries happen. The effect of an injury both challenges and creates stress for an athlete in a new way. From the moment the injury takes place, the way it is dealt with can be a deciding factor for how well

Achilles Walker working on recovery training with his athletes 13

the athlete recovers. The proper care must be taken by the incident, Achilles and Coach Smith were on the field coaches and trainers instantly to make the right decision looking after his leg. Coach Smith knew “Josue wasn’t the for that athlete. According to Achilles Walker, Mountain [kind of] player to stay down,” which confirmed his theory View High School’s Athletic Trainer, “The most important that something was wrong. part is ensuring that the athlete is in good care. My goal is The quick actions taken by Mountain View Staff to help them heal and recover as soon as possible…. from showed how well constructed their athletic program was. the initial shock of a major injury it is common that every Within a couple minutes, Josue was helped off the field, individual will react differently, so it's important to see put into an ambulance, and admitted into the hospital the situation as a person and not just a pain.” That initial that night. He went into surgery early the next morning. shock described by so many athletes can include anxiety, This is just a single example of the trauma that could take fear, or even denial of the injury. Josue Ibarra, who had a place in the blink of an eye and the necessary steps that freak football accident in his season opening game early need to be taken to ensure a full recovery and minimal pain this year, says his “first reaction was to get up and keep on the athlete. As soon as a player appears to be down the playing, walk it off like always.” The adrenaline rush as well trainer and coaches are the first to give immediate medical as the large hit created so much movement it took Josue a attention and determine if a referral is needed to seek while to realise he was even hurt to such an extent. Later, further medical attention. These first actions are just the Josue learned he had a compound fracture in his tibia and beginning of the long journey ahead to a full recovery. fibula and would be out for the season. Within a minute of Archive: MVHS athletics department 14

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The Process

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hether it’s a recovery time of a month to a full year it is important to recover with a mindset of getting back into the game.

Often times athletes who are injured struggle to keep up the amount of physical activity they had pre-injury.

When an athlete is working out over ten hours a week and suddenly stops, the body isn’t sure how to react.

If surgery is required for a full recovery many trainers have the mentality that, “The stronger the athlete is going into the surgery, the stronger the athlete will be coming out of surgery” (Leibreich). This means training the body as much as possible in order to gain strength even before an athlete has had the procedure.

This can be done safely by isolating specific muscles and areas of the body to keep up physical fitness called

non-resistant training. Non-resistant training is a method where the athlete trains with only their own body weight instead of using harsh or heavy weights.

This method described helps maintain the strength already there so athletes aren’t left weak (Hitzeman).

This is easier said than done, pre and post surgery training is one of the most difficult parts of the recovery process. Nicole Bumgarner, a senior on the Mountain View High School Varsity soccer team shares her story of when she tore her ACL saying, "I would never want anything like this to happen again so I worked on it really hard. I went to the gym and I strengthened all the muscles so it wouldn’t affect me anymore." By overcoming the physical challenges, Nicole was able to recover from her injury fully.

Josue Ibarra working on recovery training 17

"I would never want anything like this to happen again so I worked on it really hard. " -Nicole Bumgarner

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The Mentality

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Archive: Images of Josue Ibarra’s x-rays post surgery

he last challenge an athlete is left to face with is the mental struggle. This struggle isn’t discussed openly often but has more of an impact than people might think. Although an athlete might be physically ready to get back into the game, getting them there mentally is a whole other challenge. The psychological trauma from an injury can absorb someone's life and is a diffi cult thing to let go of when back in the game. Nicole Bumgarner describes this experience saying she is a more cautious player now going back into soccer. She’s noticed that she’s no longer always going for the tackle and instead holds back to ensure she won’t re-injure herself.

While this mentality may seem logical, it is also known that athletes who make it to the higher level are the ones that would dive to the ground for the ball. They are the ones that live and breath their sport and put themselves through anything to make the save.

(Leibreich) Shelly Smith Mountain View High Schools Athletic Director and Varsity football coach believes that being there for his players emotionally is everything - especially when they are going through the mental struggles of playing again. He understands the struggle of being stopped by an injury and still tries to keep his injured players as involved in the team community as possible. He describes his players as brothers and knows that showing that he cares about their wellbeing is a large part of that community. Other studies suggest that keeping a tight community of people around the injured athlete is the best way to ensure athletic motivation going forwards. (Bianco 1) This mental hurdle must be conquered for an athlete to continue to excel in the same way they had before the injury.

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"If I had to give advice to any injured athlete it would be to just not give up just keep pushing forward. If I can do it so can you. " -Josue Ibarra

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Conclusion

From the initial shock of an injury to getting back into the game, the mental and physical challenge can be extreme. No

recovery process is easy, and it’s different for every athlete. No athlete is the same. With added pressure from outside factors, such as college and the future, one’s recovery can be scary and overwhelming. Each individual has to find the strength in themselves to overcome these obstacles. Nicole Bumgarner described how getting back into her first game after her ACL tear was just as nerve racking as going into the championship game. What helped her through it was being surrounded by a positive community of her trainers, teammates, and family.

Being injured can be one of the most difficult times of an athlete’s life and also one an athlete learns the most from. Josue

Ibarra reflects, “Although my injury was exhausting, it taught me not to give up and to keep pushing forward.” Every experience, no matter what it entails is one that can be learned from. For these early athletes, it’s taught them to persevere and get back in the game.

Achilles Walker taping a varsity lacrosse players ankle pre-game 24

Works Cited “An Integrated Model of Response to Sport Injury: Psychological and Sociological Dynamics.”

Taylor & Francis, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10413209808406377.

Bumgarner, Nicole. Personal Interview. 4 Apr. 2018.

Greenfield, Ben. “How To Heal Injuries Faster.” Ben Greenfield Fitness - Diet, Fat Loss and Performance Advice, 18 Dec. 2017, bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/recovery-articles/how-toheal-injuries-faster/.

Hitzeman, Pete. “How to Train Before You Go Under the Knife.” Breaking Muscle, Breaking Muscle, 14 Dec. 2017, breakingmuscle.com/fitness/how-to-train-before-you-go-under-the-knife.

Ibarra, Josue. Personal Interview. 27 Mar. 2018.

Leibreich, Ryan. “4 Phase Injury Recovery Roadmap [A Coach's Guide].” TrainHeroic Blog Applied Rountree, Sage Hamilton. The Athlete's Guide to Recovery: Rest, Relax, and Restore for Peak Performance. VeloPress, 2011.

Science For Coaches, blog.trainheroic.com/4-phase-injury-recovery-roadmap-a-coachs-guide.

Smith, Shelly. Personal Interview. 4 Apr. 2018.

“Social Support and Recovery from Sport Injury: Elite Skiers Share Their Experiences.” Taylor & Francis, shapeamerica.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.2001.10608974.

Walker, Achilles. Personal Interview. 30 Mar. 2018.

Center field at MVHS 28

Biography

Talar Sarkissian is a junior at Freestyle Academy. She is 17 years old and has a passion for design and marketing. She loves spending time outdoors as well as traveling. She truly believes that experiences are the best way to learn about other cultures and the world. She keeps her Armenian heritage close and does her best to know the history, language, and traditions. In her free time she enjoys playing volleyball and being involved in student government. In the future, she hopes to pursue her love for design at university as well as work in a creative atmosphere. She believes storytelling is one of the world's most powerful tools and one day she hopes to use her degree to let other people’s stories be heard.

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HOPEFUL HEALING

TALAR SARKISSIAN