Down, Set, SNAP How sports injuries impact a player and their team Inevitably, the moment nobody hoped for had come. The ear-piercing whistles erupted in distraught synchronization. In a domino effect, each player instinctively knelt to the ground as the crowd’s buzzing cheers turned to a deafening silence beneath the Friday night lights. Where once there was intense battle now sat a suffering player, with the trainer rushing frantically onto the turf to provide aid. Sport injuries range from broken bones to concussions to minor sprains and pulled muscles. All of these have something in common: they can keep athletes sidelined for days, weeks or longer. Injuries are devastating to an athlete’s blossoming career, but they can also become mental and physical turning points that show athletes the real power of motivation, redemption and
BY PATRICK STEVENSON AND BEN COWER
desire to succeed. As a student sports trainer, sophomore Pooja Kaushal commonly deals with a multitude of player injuries. “The most common type of injury we see are calf cramps on the field,” Kaushal said. “It usually happens during games, and the things we do to make it better is we usually load up the players with water and do some stretches and maybe give them some liquid IV.” Junior Michael Mauer experienced his own personal setback on Sept. 13, in a football game against Freedom High School. “I was going to sack the quarterback, and one of the linemen pushed me over and fell on top of me,” Mauer said grimacing, recounted the excruciating moment of his injury. “I dislocated my collarbone.”
Junior Michale Mauer ices his shoulder while talking with fellow teammates, Junior Declan Nash and Diego Beraun.
12
THEVIKINGNEWS.COM
Photo | Sophie Datillo
