CELEBRATING WOMEN IN SPORTS

The College of Education hosts a National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration during ISU Women’s Basketball Game a concussion from play. The research also showed that the number of athletic trainers in Idaho high schools had increased. The study also found that nearly all schools required a written medical clearance from a health care professional before students were allowed to return to play.

“Most impressive was the way Idaho’s rural schools, in particular, have been able to adhere to concussion return to play guidelines,” noted Faure. There has been some concern through the years that rural communities would not have physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners or athletic trainers available. Faure found just the opposite was true. She credits an expansion of telehealth services in Idaho as helping to address the need.

While improvements in concussion law compliance were evident, the quality of concussion educational resources in schools were unknown. The research also showed that minimally-trained EMTs and first responders and parents were sometimes making return to play decisions in schools in lieu of acceptable health care providers.

Researchers estimate that 1.1 million to 1.9 million sports concussions occur to children 18 years or younger each year in the United States, so it is increasingly important to continue to advocate for concussion education and management in P-12 schools. Faure believes that funding, equitable access, and expansion to concussion education and management could help reduce future concussion risk in sport programs in Idaho Schools.

Good teachers make good coaches. That’s what Nancy Jones, an Idaho State University alumna, and longtime Twin Falls High School (TFHS) girls’ basketball coach, believes. The ISU College of Education recognized Jones for her contributions to girls’ and women’s athletics by awarding her the Trailblazer Award during the 2023 National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) celebration.

The Trailblazer Award acknowledges the efforts and achievements of women who have provided significant leadership and mentorship to girls and women in sports. Jones is a 1990 ISU alumna who graduated from the College of Education with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She also played women’s basketball at ISU from 19851989. Jones coached at various basketball camps in her youth and started coaching professionally in

1992, serving first as the junior varsity and varsity assistant coach for girl’s basketball at TFHS until 1997 and then as the head coach from 20072021. She currently serves as the vice principal at TFHS.

To Jones, teaching and coaching are intrinsically connected. She believes that coaching is fundamentally the practice of teaching a sport, saying, “For the past 40 years, I’ve been teaching the game.” Jones’ coaching philosophy prioritized personal growth over traditional success. She worked to provide the girls on her team with an environment where they felt supported and safe to grow as individuals.

This approach to coaching reflects the idea behind NGWSD – that organized athletic activities benefit women physically, socially, and societally. The celebration acknowledges not only that sports benefit women but also that women benefit sports. NGWSD recognizes the positive impact and the

by Laurel Owens

progress female athletes have made in the field of athletics as they have worked toward social equality and athletic excellence.

The event occurred on January 28, 2023, during the ISU Women’s Basketball game against the University of Idaho. The College of Education hosted an indoor tailgate before the game, inviting athletes and athletic leaders from the area to enjoy lunch and providing participants with a voucher for discounted tickets.

League, League of Legends, and Overwatch are well-known esports games with championship tournaments in which competitors can win millions of dollars. Esport athletes in their prime are known to play their game 9-14 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“If a top esport athlete is playing this often, they are prone to overtraining syndrome,” said Moerer. “This can lead to mental health issues in players such as stress, depression, or anxiety.”

The esports industry has gained much attention as secondary schools and colleges/ universities esport programs have grown in popularity.