Summer 2010
TE AT H L E OUNG THE Y
FO R E D I U G E N T S ’’ R A P A
A Publication of
d i kPORTS S
®
N E I Z G A A M
Sports & Family Making Time for Both
Soccer Swimming Safety Sports Nutrition Presented By
Use your head.
Life can throw you some pretty wicked curve balls. That’s why it’s important to have the very best healthcare available. Carolinas Medical Center – the region’s preferred healthcare provider – gives you immediate access to more specialists and specialties, more advanced and innovative technology and more exceptional doctors to choose from. It’s why we’re the choice of more families throughout our region.
www.carolinasmedicalcenter.org
OFFICIAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDER of the CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS
7
Saving Money
12
Kid’s Corner
5
Soccer
8
Get Healthy!
15
Playground Safety
5
Kid Stars
8
Playing & Quitting
15
Bicycle Safety
6
Eating Right
9
Positives & Negatives of Youth Sports
16
On Your Own
6
Sports & School
16
Swimming
18
Equipment Room
Sports & Family Life
3
Pittsburgh Sports Report, Inc. Publishers Ellis G. Cannon Larry J. Appolonia Editor Tony DeFazio Production Director Michael Betters
Photography Matt Polk Photography Contributing Writers Diane Acerni Alicia Fogarty Joe Giardina JoAnne Klimovich Harrop Emily Leone Joe Luxbacher Vee Matisko
Lisa McDermott Ray Mernagh Linda Muehlbronner Scott Robertson Steve Sampsell Ken Torgent Walt Villa
Advisory Board Tim Beltz, M.S.; Sherry Cleary, M.S.; Kim Crawford, Ph.D., M.S. RD, LDN; Kevin M. Conley, Ph.D. M.S., ATC; Keith Gorse, M.ED., ATC; Joseph A. Luxbacher, Ph.D.; Linda P. Meyer, Ed.D.,ATC; John Sikora, B.S.
Contact Information 412-469-9770 tdefazio@psrpt.com
photo by Keith O’Donnell
In the Community
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Ellis G. Cannon Publisher KidSports Magazine
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Baseball & Softball
LET G AT H
We thank the Carolinas Medical Center’s Sports Medicine and Special Events department for welcoming KidSports to the Charlotte area and extending this opportunity to serve CMC and the many young athletes who will benefit through its generosity. Through the input and cooperation between CMC and KidSports, we are pleased to also provide you with a free refrigerator magnet containing important nutrition information you can use for your next game and the remainder of the season. The services available today are valuable as you continue your athletic path. Keep up the great job in putting yourself in position to succeed on and off the playing fields and finding the balance, discipline and commitment necessary to reach your athletic, academic and social goals. If there’s a topic you’d like us to research, or you have any questions, drop us a line at contactus@kidsports.com. And, remember, CMC and KidSports are here to support you every step of the way! Thanks again!
thismonth’slineup
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OUN THE Y
I N E G A Z A M r 2010 © Summe
From the City of Champions to the Queen City!
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E FOR
S
with Ellis Cannon KidSports Publisher
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GUID
kPOid RTS
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Indriver’s seat the t is with great enthusiasm that KidSports Magazine embraces the opportunity to support Carolinas Medical Center’s 2010 Heart of a Champion. KidSports has served as a monthly “Parents’ Guide For The Young Athlete” in the Pittsburgh area since 2004. This publication provides information helpful to the parents of young athletes across a broad spectrum of youth sports in areas including nutrition, injury prevention and treatment, evolving and traditional training concepts, equipment advice, money-saving tips, coaching guidelines and youth sports psychology from individual and team perspectives. We hope you find the complimentary KidSports you received today helpful in those, and other, important areas. Part of our vision and mandate is to seek and support events such as Heart of a Champion on behalf of our corporate partners. Finding a way to create true partnerships has created greater meaning and depth to those relationships and, more importantly, enriched the young athletes and those responsible for them. This year’s Heart of a Champion has once again captured the essence of our mission.
TS’ PA R E N
KidSports Magazine is published 12 times annually by Pittsburgh Sports Report, Inc. a Pennsylvania business corporation, 3 South Linden St, Duquesne, PA 15110. This and every issue of KidSports Magazine, and all contents therein, are subject to copyright protection held by Pittsburgh Sports Report, Inc. (“Corp. 2009 Pittsburgh Sports Report, Inc.”)
bumps
&theBRUISES team behind the teams
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his June, over 400 volunteers, including physicians and nurses, across Carolinas HealthCare System will be on hand to provide free athletic screenings to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) high school student-athletes. Nearly 2,000 high school student-athletes from across CMS will visit the campus of Carolinas Medical Center for the annual Heart of a Champion Day. The third annual event is a collaboration between Levine Children’s Hospital, Carolinas Medical Center, Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute and OrthoCarolina. Student-athletes will receive a general medical sports screening, orthopedic exam and cardiac exam. The heart screening includes an electrocardiogram (EKG) and echocardiogram (Echo), used to detect heart abnormalities that could lead to sudden death while playing sports. Neither test is offered during a routine athletic screening. “We are thankful for the generosity of
the doctors and clinical workers who take the time to screen our students,” said CMS Superintendent Dr. Peter C. Gorman. In 2009, more than 85 percent of CMS students who were screened were
shoulder-cartilage tears and tears of knee ligaments to spinal stress fractures. The general medical exams revealed conditions including high blood pressure, post-concussion syndrome, uncontrolled asthma, poor vision, and depression and eating disorders. “Detecting these medical conditions early provides the time needed to effectively treat students before the next athletic season,” said Dr. David Price, Associate Director of Sports Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center. “We alert parents about the issues and ask them to follow-up with their family physician. In cases where families do not have a primary-care physician, we assist in providing physicians who can help.” Funded through the Carolinas HealthCare Foundation, Heart of a Champion Day is believed to be the largest, most comprehensive screening of its kind in the United States.
Nearly 2,000 CMS student-athletes to receive free athletic screenings immediately cleared to participate in sports. Volunteers screened more than 1,200 student-athletes during the second annual event and found medical issues with 170 students. The screenings detected cardiac conditions in 78 student-athletes, including Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which causes a rapid, irregular heartbeat, and Long Q-T Interval Syndrome, a hereditary disorder of the heart’s electrical rhythm that reduces blood flow. These students were further evaluated to determine course of treatment. Thirty-six students required further evaluation for orthopedic conditions ranging from
Susan G. Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure®
10.02.10 Register at www.komencharlotte.org
If you are a fan of the human spirit, you are already a fan of Special Olympics. Get involved! Volunteer, support, coach or compete.
Presented by
North Carolina The Running Ribbon is a registered trademark of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
www.specialolympicsnc.com
SOCCER
By Scott Robertson
Developing the weaker foot
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ust as surely as kids have right and left feet, there are right and wrong ways to teach them to develop the non-dominant foot on the soccer field. The need to develop the weaker foot, eventually, is critical to soccer success, since older players are required to use both feet to dribble, pass and shoot. At the start, beginners should be encouraged to use both feet. That keeps the game fun and allows children to run around the field and kick the ball as best they can. Developing the weaker foot when youth players are beginning to get familiar with the game isn’t necessary. Experts say the best way to help players ages 4, 5 and 6 develop is to make the game fun – throw the ball and let them chase it, using whatever foot they feel comfortable with. At the same time, it is wise to introduce games that are fun but simultaneously develop the non-dominant foot. As kids get older and progress in the game, the need to develop the nondominant foot becomes more important. Many children, however, fear using the non-dominant foot in practice because they are afraid to look silly in front of their peers. Some experts say the best way to start is to have a child kick a stationary ball against a wall. The fact that the ball is stationary is important – it's critical for the child to develop the skill of kicking the ball first. After improvement has been made in that regard, kids can start attempting to kick balls moving toward them. The psychological aspects of coaching and player development are important. Parents, teachers and coaches must develop drills and encourage all children to practice with their non-dominant foot, and must reinforce the positives the children achieve. Again, experts say, many children fear using
the other foot because they lack confidence. Making sure all youth players receive the same positive feedback is critical to developing good young players and keeping them interested in the game. It is important for youth coaches to start with the basics. Some natural development of the nondominant foot will occur as children
DONOVAN O’DONNELL, 6 CHARLOTTE Donovan is a veteran of two seasons of Myers Park Trinity tee-ball and is looking forward to moving up to machine pitch next spring. Versatile in the field for the Wizards in 2010, Donovan played pitcher, third base and first base. He was hitting from a live pitcher consistently by the end of the season.
EVIE O’DONNELL, 8 CHARLOTTE
progress, but introducing skills to aid that development for children beginning at ages 7 and 8 will help ensure they are ready to learn while, at the same time, still enjoying the game.
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Evie just completed her first season with the “Soccer Rockers” of the Charlotte Junior Soccer Foundation. Her favorite position is goalkeeper and she once made three key saves in the second-half of a late-season shutout victory. In addition to soccer, Evie is an accomplished swimmer and also enjoys riding her bike. Please send the story of your Kid Star, along with a digital photograph, to contactus@kidsportsmagazine.com.
eatingright
Pre-Game
Meal Pla te
What & When Game Nutrition DAY Guide to Eat & Drink 2-3 hours before Drink fluids (2 Cups)
1-2 hours before
Drink 1-2 cups of milk or fluids
Pre-Game Pre-Game Meal Snack Carb-rich moderate protein, low fat pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, veggies or fruit
Low fat, moderate protein that contains carbs: fresh fruit, crackers, peanut butter
0-1 hours before
Drink 1-1.5 cups of milk or fluids Low fat, low fiber if needed
Sports drinks, sports gels, fruit, jam or honey sandwiches
Game or Training
Drink 5-10 ounces of milk or fluids every 20 mins During prolonged exercise
Sports drinks, sports gels, fruit, jam or honey sandwiches
Eggs, Chicken, Meat, Fish
15%
Bread, Pasta, Grains, Potatoes
1 hour after
Drink 3 cups of fluids for every pound lost
35
%
PostGame Snack
Sports or energy bars, crackers & peanut butter, low fat milk, fruit, bagels
Fruit & Vegetables
Milk is the beverage of choice!
45% 5% Nuts, cheese, butter
sports&school
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Tips for Balancing Both
alancing sports, schoolwork, and other activities is one of your child's greatest challenges. But it can be done--with the right game plan. Here are some tips. 1. BE REALISTIC: When setting your children’s schedules, do so while looking at a calendar and make sure your young athlete can realistically accomplish all that he or she is taking on. Make sure there are no conflicts with tests or school trips, or family activities such as weddings or birthdays. When there are conflicts, decide beforehand how each situation will be handled. 2. SET PRIORITIES: Make sure your child understands that schoolwork and family obligations must come before sports. Set certain priorities that must be maintained. Understand that sports—although third to school and family—WILL take up a great amount of time and energy.
3. DEMAND RESPONSIBILITY: Playing sports is a privilege, not a right. If your child must maintain a certain level of academic success, or accomplish specific goals at home, in order to play sports, be sure you enforce that responsibility. 4. COMMUNICATE: Be sure other family members—spouse, siblings, grandparents if they are involved—understand everyone’s schedule. And talk to coaches and teachers – not to complain about playing time, but to let them know if your child is sick or will miss an activity for another reason. 5. DRAW THE LINE: If the priorities you set are not being met, maybe it’s time to the bad guy. If you have to pull the plug on a sport because it’s negatively impacting your child’s performance in other areas, don’t be afraid to do so.
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baseball & softball breaking a slump
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he “Dog Days of Summer” – they can take a toll on a lot of things – the lawn, the air conditioning bill, and often times, your child’s success on the baseball or softball diamond. As summer rolls on and the Little League seasons turns into a Rec-League season, it’s not uncommon for kids’ to experience slumps, sometimes prolonged ones. Sometimes the best way to break out of a batting slump is to back off a little bit. Although time at the local batting cages is definitely a good way to stay sharp, especially in the off-season, it can begin to be counter-productive if the hitter is not seeing improvement. Success can breed more success, but often disappointment breeds frustration, and nothing is more disheartening for a kid than a long ride home after another unsuccessful round of balls at the cages. So how can you help your son or daughter break out of their slump? Start by backing off the game conditions and get back to the basics. Rather than spending time (and quarters) at the cages, head to the backyard. Work on hand-eye coordination and stress keeping your youngster’s eyes on the ball.
Grab a tee and bag of wiffle balls. Have the child hit the ball off the tee into a tarp or a wall of some sort. Have them hit until their swing begins to look and feel comfortable again, simply to get used to swinging through the ball. Make sure the hitter’s front foot is on the ground well before contact is made. A common fault of tee hitting is to have the front foot in the air as contact is made. After a hitting a bucket or so off the tee, sit in a folding chair about 5 feet to the side of the plate and about 2 feet in front of it. Have your child take his or her normal stance and softly toss the wiffle balls over the plate. Have them again hit the balls into the tarp. This is called soft-toss. It’s a great way to get back to the fundamentals of hitting: keeping the eyes on the ball, and getting the batter’s stride and swing corrected. Before you go out and spend hundreds of dollars to help your kids learn a level swing, look around your house and see what you can create, cheaply, that will help your kids improve their skills—and still have fun. Hitting off a tee and playing some soft-toss are great ways to break a slump, or to simply stay sharp.
savingmoney
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e all know how important it is for children to stay hydrated during games and practices, especially in the summer weather. We also know kids prefer just about anything over plain old water. Luckily, water-like substitutes, such as sports drinks, taste great and help keep young athletes filled up with the right stuff. The down side of sports drinks is that if you’re buying individual bottles for every practice and game, it can get quite expensive. And, obviously, it gets worse for those of you
with more than one child playing. This leads us to June’s simple but effective money saving tip: Buy sports drinks in powder form and mix your own.
Sports Drinks
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There is a chance your child will protest not drinking out of the original bottle; maybe they don’t feel as cool using a water bottle when their friends are chugging a Gatorade or PowerAde. One way to counteract this is to purchase a fancy or even personalized water bottle to hold the drink. This will help your child look hip again and any extra cost for the water bottle will easily be made up by the reduced drink cost. If that’s not good enough, a second simple solution is to re-use the original bottle. Rinse it out between uses and refill each time. Few will know the difference.
Get
Healthy
• Skipping breakfast won't help you lose weight. Instead, your metabolic rate will drop by 4% to 5% when it needs to be the most active. A good rule of thumb is to eat at least half your daily calories by the end of lunchtime. • Children are more at risk for dehydration that adults when exercising, so make sure your child is properly hydrated – even in cold weather. • The American College of Sports Medicine's recommendation for cardiovascular exercise is to engage in rhythmic, large-muscle activities (walking, biking, swimming) on a continuous basis (20 to 60 minutes) at an intensity level somewhere between 60 to 90% of your maximum heart rate, three to four times per week. • It’s a myth that consuming sugar before exercise will improve performance by providing a quick burst of energy. The body relies on stored energy for exercise, not food consumed just before exercise. In fact, eating too much sugar immediately before exercise can actually cause stomach and intestinal discomfort. • American children have never been so unhealthy and inactive! Consider the following facts: an estimated 40% of children have elevated cholesterol levels; teenage girls take 60 seconds longer to complete a one-mile run today than a decade ago; and in 1979, 10% of adolescents smoked, while today more than 25% smoke.
Did you Know?
Playing and Quitting WHY KIDS PARTICIPATE An Athletic Footwear Association Survey of over 20,000 kids nation-wide asked kids why they participate in sports. 1. 2. 3. 4.
To have fun To improve their skills To stay in shape To do something they are good at 5. The excitement of the competition 6. To get exercise 7. To play as part of a team 8. The challenge of the competition 9. To learn new skills 10. To win
WHY KIDS QUIT The Youth Sports Institute at Michigan State, in a survey of 10,000 kids nationwide, listed the top ten reasons why kids quit organized youth sports: 1. They lost interest 2. They were not having fun 3. It required too much time 4. The coach played favorites 5. The coach was a poor teacher 6. They got tired of playing 7. Too much emphasis on winning 8. They wanted to participate in other non-sport activities 9. They needed more time to study 10. There was too much pressure
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Positives and Negatives of Youth Sport Participation
by Joe Luxbacher, PhD
The Potential Negatives
The Postitives STRUCTURE: Participating in an organized sport adds structure and direction to physical activity, a key element for consistency. Kids are usually told when, where, and how often to practice, so the exercise is already scheduled for them. All they have to do is show up and play.
PARENTS AND/OR COACHES CONSUMED IN THE “HUNT FOR VICTORY” We have all likely seen this firsthand. Always keep in mind that the primary reason for playing a youth sport is not to win a trophy or to provide a springboard for a professional athletic career, or even a college career. Less than onetenth of one percent of our children will make a living as professional athletes.
LEARNING “LIFETIME SPORT SKILLS”: Research shows that competence in an activity promotes increased enjoyment and continued participation. The overriding goal of a child’s exercise program should be the development of exercise habits and skills that will carry into adulthood. Improved health and fitness should be viewed as an added benefit, not necessarily the ultimate goal.
ELIMINATION OF CHILDREN AT YOUNG AGES: Competition is a necessary part of youth sports and sport in general, but cutting kids from teams at very young ages serves no useful benefit. The young boy or girl who gets cut from the squad at age 10 and quits the sport may have developed into the best player on the team by age 14. And even if not, the physical and social benefits derived from playing a sport have been taken from them.
ENJOYMENT: For exercise to become regular it must be enjoyable. First and foremost, participation in an organized youth sport should be a fun experience. Opportunity to socialize: Kids and adults alike generally find it more enjoyable to exercise with a group of friends or teammates than to exercise alone. Kids learn how to cooperate as well as compete.
TOO MUCH ORGANIZATION: The concern here is that kids become overly dependent on a coach or parent to organize the practice, pick the teams, ref the game, etc. Kids should be encouraged to practice and play on their own whenever possible.
KEEPS KIDS MOVING: Kids don’t benefit physically from standing around. They are built to move, so choose a youth sport activity that achieves that objective. Try to maintain a goal of 60 minutes or more of moderately intense aerobic exercise on most days of the week.
IMPROVED CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND WELL BEING: Sports such as soccer, basketball, ice hockey, swimming and roller skating provide children with excellent aerobic workouts and burn lots of calories in the process. Physically active kids will also sleep better, which is an added benefit for parents!
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SPORTS
&Time Family for Both By Steve Sampsell
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welve-year-old Samantha Jones plays soccer almost year round. Her middle-school season is followed by indoor games and training in the winter, and then local recreational leagues in the spring. In the summer, she attends camps. Her sister Danielle plays basketball with a similar level of commitment. While Samantha enjoys her sport, she also enjoys a “sit-down” dinner at home every once in a while—something other than the burgers or pizza that seem to shape a large portion of her family’s nightly menu when bouncing between games and practices. Finding time for those meals can be difficult. They’re often a casualty of the family’s commitment to sports. Parents and participants regularly tout the many positives of youth
sports, just some of which include skill development, improved fitness and an appreciation of team play and loyalty. From the youngest participants in recreational leagues to older youths on travel teams, sports also provide opportunities to learn about balancing schedules, completing a commitment and even managing time as the participants work to attend practices and also do things such as finish their homework. Still, youth sports at any level inevitably take some sort of toll on a family’s life. For some families, it’s simply a matter of menu selection and making time for a full-fledged, sit-down meal once a week or whenever possible. For Samantha and Danielle’s family, that happens maybe two times a week, depending on the season. “It’s just nice to eat together,” Samantha says. She admits she’s not all that interested in sharing stories from the day with her parents at the table; she just prefers a home-cooked meal over another fast-food burger. “Pizza gets old after a while.” For other families involved in youth sports, simply finding available time not devoted to sports can be a big issue. Families like the Tillotson’s find part
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of the solution in the form of a calendar. With three children ages 8 to 14, the family uses a colorful calendar on the refrigerator that has a line for each family member every day of the month. It’s filled with events and notes for all three of their children with overlapping activities (games, practices, choir, church events) on a couple of days each week. “Having the structure helps. It’s just a calendar, but it also helps the kids to see what’s going on and keep things on track,” Cathy Tillotson says. “They’ve become accustomed to checking the calendar. Sometimes we have a lot going on and it’s good to have it all organized in one place. We make sure to put a priority on family things that are not sports, too.” Many families have similar calendars or their own scheduling methods. For many, such organizational methods have become a necessity. While critics might cite that as “over-scheduling” and count it as a clear toll on family life, the families who complete those busy schedules see learning time-management skills and responsibility as a benefit of a youth sports. They believe a busy schedule ranks as a positive, not a drawback or negative. “Our oldest daughter had better grades during basketball season than she did after the season ended,” Susan Jones says. “During the season
she managed her time better. When she did not have practices or did not have to get things done after a game, she was not as focused. Learning responsibility is part of the process.” Some experts believe anything more than a casual level of participation in sports comes with detrimental effects. As a result, they provide logical advice that focuses on considering a child’s individual needs, setting limits on how much time a family devotes to sports and planning ahead— making room on the calendar for non-sports activities and planning vacation before committing to sports activities. Such an approach should allow a family to establish and maintain priorities, and keep a proper perspective on youth sports. However, for families committed to youth sports, what the critics cite as a toll, they often see as a family friendly way to spend time together—a clear-cut benefit of sports participation.
For many families involved in youth sports, simply finding available time not devoted to sports can be a big issue. No matter the sport— baseball, basketball, cheerleading, football, soccer, volleyball and so many more—the stories remain the same. A player or family need not participate on a travel team for the conflicts to arise and the toll to mount, either. After all, while the potential problems seem obvious during youth baseball season and its daily practices, or when volleyball teams schedule tournaments requiring significant travel almost every weekend, or when 7th-grade girls basketball teams play games Wednesday nights, Saturday nights and
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Sunday afternoons, those examples fall at the far end of the spectrum. Even at a sport’s smallest level, the challenges remain. In fact, they remain the same: commitment, often defined by time and money. After all, committing an hour once a week may represent a world of change for a family making its first foray into youth sports. They’ve gone from free recreation time at a playground or simple games with parent and child, to a specific, structured time for team play. Families also learn about entry fees and fundraising efforts. Youth sports organizations need a seemingly never-ending amount of money. So even after the initial fee, some groups must rely on fundraising efforts. That inevitably adds another thing on the to-do list for parents and families—another potential toll, figuratively and literally, of participation. The most ingenious and opportunistic families make fundraising work for the organization and themselves, though. “Some years, depending on the sport, we’ve sold some coupons for subs,” Wild says. “We’ve sold as many as we could, and then bought the rest ourselves. If we have them, we can use them and that makes it easier to take care of dinners and things like that when we’re driving and traveling all over the place for games and tournaments.” Of course, that might not be the type of a sit-down meal Samantha Jones hopes for, but it would add some variety to the dinner menu of a family dealing with the pros, cons and possible tolls of youth sports.
CAROLINA PANTHERS Q: Who were some of your favorite football players when you were a kid? A: I really didn’t have football posters on my wall growing up. When I was a kid I was playing basketball. I was a Knicks fan growing up.
J EFF O TAH
Q: What other sports did you play as a kid? A: All I played was basketball – all the time. Just basketball and more basketball.
Q: What’d you do with your first NFL paycheck? A: Put it in the bank. Put it into stocks.
Q: How did end up as an offensive lineman? A: I always wanted to be on the offensive line. It’s kind of like an art – it’s a hard position, playing tackle. But you still get to hit people!
R ic o
Rico is a 9-year-old cream standard poodle that loves everyone and everything. Rico has seizures that can be controlled by meds, but his owner could not afford the modest amount of money it takes to control them. He is a very active sweet boy, house trained, cat friendly and loves attention! He’s 46-pounds, up-to-date with his vaccinations, loves both men and women and is good with children and other dogs. Rico is leash-trained, but a fenced-in yard would be ideal. Photo by Greg Woods
r mweave at Drea d e re v e ri rt d hour adqua easy 1.5 ue is he e're an dle Resc W o ase visit o . le P a P . a lin Carolin 85 south th Caro I u o n S w te o ee Rico d upsta .org to s st head e u ju c s – m . Farms in re .C N mes. Fro poodle arlotte, ever ho .carolina rw fu from Ch w e ir w e th t th g for mplete page a re lookin s tab. Co our web . s who a plication d p n in touch a ie e n fr b a 'll find lor will and his u e s o n y , u e o c g pa tion the web an adop on and applicati
www.carolinasmedicalcenter.org/sportsmed
We’ve got you covered, on and off the field From Little League to the National Football League, Carolinas Medical Center’s Department of Sports Medicine & Special Events offers safe, comprehensive and quality patient care coverage and injury prevention for all types of indoor and outdoor sporting and non-sporting events. Our wide range of medical providers, lead by expert Pre-Hospital Trauma and Sports Medicine physicians, provides customized medical coverage at any community event. Highly experienced in on-site prevention, assessment and immediate care of activity and non-activity related injuries, it’s no wonder so many community and professional organizations trust their medical care and educational programs to Carolinas Medical Center.
Please contact us at 704-512-3820 for more information regarding our on-site medical coverage services.
playground safety
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ommend at least 12 inches of loose fill surfacing around all the equipment. A main key to prevent falls to the surface is parental supervision; including knowing which playground your children are playing on. “If you are going to a park, be sure that parents take the children to age appropriate designed playgrounds,” says Thompson. The size of the swings, slides, monkey bars, etc. should help parents decipher if the playground is suitable for the age group 2-5, or for ages 5-12. Finally, it is important to make sure that the playground is well maintained. Check for dangerous materials near the equipment, such as broken glass or a broken playset. Having plastic equipment rather than metal equipment is also very important because when in the sun the metal can get very hot and burn children’s skin. Remember, if any of the equipment looks unsafe, keep your children away.
here is plenty of summer left for children to run around in the sun and enjoy their days away from school. Nothing would ruin those plans more than an injury that would keep them indoors. When on a playground, private or public, some of those injuries can be prevented. The rubber flooring called safety surfacing is one way to limit injuries, but there are several more that parents and children should familiarize themselves with, including arguably the most important. “Falling from the playground equipment (is the biggest safety concern) because people are not very careful about checking to be sure that the surfacing is in the right place,” says Dr. Donna Thompson, Director of National Program for Playground Safety. According to statistics gathered from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, nearly 80 percent of all injuries on a playground are due to children falling off the equipment. It is this statistic that leads Thompson to rec-
bicyclesafety
buying the right helmet
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ven though we may not have followed the same rules when we were kids, it is imperative that your child wear a properly-fitting helmet whenever riding a bike. To make sure you buy the right helmet, here are some tips to keep in mind: 1. Only buy a helmet that meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standards. Look for the CPSC sticker inside the helmet – if the sticker is not there, the helmet does not meet the CPSC standards. The standards ensure that the helmet adequately protects the head and that chin straps are strong enough to prevent the helmet from coming off during a fall. The standards also require that helmets for children five and under cover more of the head.
By Joe Giardina
2. Let your child pick out his or her helmet. They come in all sorts of colors nowadays and if your child likes the helmet, he or she will be much more likely to wear it. 3. Measure the circumference of your child’s head so you are positive you get the right size – don’t automatically assume your child wears a “child-sized” helmet. Make sure your child tries the helmet on in the store so you are sure you have the right size. 4. It’s time for a new helmet when it starts to get too tight. And always replace a helmet if it is involved in a crash of any kind.
Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov for more information.
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swimming safety in the water
Oyn our
own
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very year, almost 150,000 swimming-related injuries are treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers and hospital emergency rooms, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Swimming is the most popular summer pastime for kids, and with a little knowledge, many of these injuries can be prevented.
dive far out, or bounce more than once. Swim away from the board immediately after the dive, to allow room for the next diver. Make sure there is only one person on the board at a time. • Many diving injuries occur after people jump headfirst into water which is shallow, too murky to see objects, or crowded with other swimmers.
SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND AS THE SUMMER APPROACHES:
SWIMMING
The Physics of Soccer Using Math and Science to Improve Your Game By Deji Badiru In the world of sports, not many things are more important than efficient strategies and game time performance. Soccer enthusiast and engineer Deji Badiru explains the role of physics in soccer and how to utilize it on the field through such concepts as projectile motion, friction, air drag, force and basic intelligent play.
The Little League Team from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures, No. 10) by Mike Thaler and Jared Lee Hubie is working hard and practicing day and night to make the Little League team this spring! His mom buys him a brand new mitt… but will all his work and his new glove be enough for him to make the cut?
• The golden rule about swimming is the Buddy Rule. Never swim alone. Swim in supervised areas where lifeguards are present. • Make sure children know how to swim before letting them in the water. Novice swimmers should wear lifejackets in the water. • If you are tired, cold, or overheated, stay out of the water! Cold or tired muscles are more prone to injury. In fact, it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to do some jumping jacks, some stretching, or some brisk walking before getting in the pool. • Swim in a pool only if you can see the bottom at the deepest point.
DIVING • Avoid diving into shallow water. • Dive only off the end of a diving board. Do not run on the board, try to
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OPEN WATER
• When swimming in open water, make sure the water is free of undercurrents and other hazards. • Do not swim in a lake or river after a storm. If the water is rising or if there is flooding, currents may become strong. The clarity and depth of the water may have changed, and new hazards may be present. • Check weather reports to avoid being in the water during storms, fog, or high winds. Remember that water conducts electricity. • Never run into waves headfirst. Finally, a tip not so much for the children but for parents: alcohol and water don't mix. Alcohol affects not only judgment, but it slows movement and impairs vision. If your child is swimming and you are supervising, you should not be drinking alcohol.
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Equipment Room Buying a Baseball Glove
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aseball gloves, just like your child’s hands, come in a variety of sizes and styles. Age and the position your child plays can be important factors to consider when purchasing a glove. Avoid the urge to buy a bigger glove that your child will grow into. Youth models are smaller to help kids maintain control. Gloves that are too big allow "cheating," preventing beginners from developing and refining proper skills. The best way to learn the fundamentals of fielding and catching is by wearing a glove that fits well. Most kids under age 12 or 13 will not need a glove larger than 12 inches. Kids between 8 and the early teens should try gloves in the 11s, while younger kids (especially if they are smaller) should consider gloves in 9-to-11 inch range. Beginners are best served with a standard, five-fingered fielders’ glove. Among beginners, only catchers need worry about having a specific style glove. Experts say that choosing the proper glove is similar to buying a pair of shoes—choose the glove that feels best on
your child’s hand. The style of a glove is not important for beginners—selecting a glove that your child is comfortable wearing is most important. Another consideration is the material of the glove. Baseball gloves come in a variety of materials, with the difference being in the feel, cost and durability. Most gloves are either made of genuine leather, treated leather or synthetic materials. Be sure to carefully read the labels on the hang-tags. Gloves made of synthetic materials are lighter and less-durable than their leather counterparts, but they are also much less expensive. This is a good glove for youngsters just getting into the game. Leather is the material of choice for gloves, offering greater comfort, control and feel for players. Many leather gloves are pretreated and softened with chemicals for faster break-in and increased durability. Treated leather also reduces the care needed and helps the glove maintain its shape. Experts also recommend keeping a baseball in the glove when it’s not in use to help maintain the shape of the glove.
A “Little” Can Go a Long Way There are currently over 72,000 at risk children in the Charlotte area who could use a little help. Big Brothers Big Sisters changes lives everyday through a proven model of one-to-one mentoring. In the past 10 years, we’ve helped change over 10,000 lives leading to more positive futures–but still the need continues to grow and there is much work to do. Join Raymond Felton and others in our community as we double the number of children served within the next three years through our 2010 3000 Lives Campaign. To get involved or contribute: 704-910-1301 www.bbbscharlotte.org
Raymond Felton has been a Big Brother since October, 2006
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Teams rise or fall based on their commitment to excellence and strength of purpose. The same goes for your healthcare. That’s why the Carolina Panthers chose Carolinas Medical Center – the region’s preferred healthcare provider for over a decade – to cover their back. We provide more specialists and specialties, more advanced and innovative technology and more exceptional doctors to choose from. It’s why more families throughout our region also choose us to cover all their medical needs.
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I want what’s best for my son. I watch what he eats, who he hangs out with and how he’s doing in school. And if he becomes ill, I know where he’s going: Levine Children’s Hospital. Where dozens of world class specialists in over 30 specialty areas provide the most advanced pediatric care in our region. It’s my child. I have a voice. www.levinechildrenshospital.org