Volunteer vs. Paid

Posted on January 30, 2012 by jumpjasper

To volunteer or not to volunteer, that is the question. Having been a long time giver of time I often ask myself “Should I get paid to do this?” The better statement should be (for those working in youth coaching), maybe I should be making a heck of a lot more. So often our high school, junior high, and youth coaches make such a meager salary that you really should call it volunteering.
I myself, would rather volunteer. I say this after years of working and being paid in the secondary school setting. I don’t coach, I am a Certified Athletic Trainer and a volunteer EMT/Firefighter. I provide support for many others who coach. I listen when they complain, celebrate when possible, I offer advise when asked, and I watch them spend countless hours prepping, planning, and fretting over plays and parents. I see them spend their own money on sports equipment, clothing, travel, team dinners, etc. etc. Mostly I watch them care. So many of them care so deeply for the sport and the kids that they never complain about their salary. They do it for the love of the game (I hear this often, mostly when someone is nervous because someone brought up the subject of pay). So why do I say I would rather volunteer? Because with pay comes expectations. You are paid to be there. When a person feels like they “have” to be there something is lost. When you are paid, you are appreciated just a little less. Now don’t get me wrong, I am happy to receive a stipend; every little bit counts, just please don’t insult me by saying I do any of my job because I get paid to do it, it certainly doesn’t support my family on it’s own. I think many other Athletic Trainers and coaches would say the same. In fact, I think I would be a great person to win the lottery…I could do exactly what I love to do and wouldn’t have to worry about paying my bills. I could volunteer (and do exactly what I do now). Could you imagine that world? I know, I know…many have said the same and don’t really live up to their word. I only say this because when I volunteer, I feel a little bit better about what I accomplished. I know I did my best when no one expected it. I feel uplifted and valued. It really is an addicting feeling. The work may be hard, but the end result is so much more rewarding.
So what is my point? (really nothing just an opinion) I think we all need to step up to the plate and do the right thing. If everyone spent a little time each month volunteering imagine what could be accomplished. On the same note, please stop insulting those who work with youth or coach in the school system. They love what they do and they get paid so very little to do it. They volunteer more than just their time. Mostly they deserve a little respect and gratitude regardless of their win/loss record or how you feel about them personally. Would you sacrifice the same in your job? Put yourself in their shoes for just a few minutes next time you get upset at that big game when it didn’t go your team’s way.

Tips for Training for Fall Sports for High School Athletics

Posted on December 29, 2011 by jumpjasper

As a Certified Athletic Trainer I am often asked by my student athletes how to deal with the heat during the late summer months when getting in shape for their two-a-day training camps and for high school sports. I give them a few simple rules to follow:
1. Dress appropriately for the weather, choose lightweight clothing that is designed to keep you cool you can find numerous varieties at your local sporting goods store or at jumpjasper.com.
2. Pre-hydrate: don’t wait until you are exercising to get hydrated you should be doing this all of the time and if you know you are going to have an extensive workout the next day and it is hot, drink extra the day before.
3. Re-hydrate: weighing yourself before and after your workout is a good tool to gage how much water your body is losing. Don’t kid yourself; you did not lose five pounds of fat in one exercise session! For every pound of weight loss you need to replace it with 16 ounces of water or energy drink.
4. This is the most important rule: ease into exercise, know the level of “shape” that you are in and make a plan. If you used to run 5 miles without trouble but it has been two months since you last exercised it would not be smart to start out running 5 miles for example.
5. Know the weather conditions, humidity is your enemy, the higher the humidity combined with heat the greater your risk for heat illness (it is good to know the signs and symptoms before you exercise.)

Team Sports Accessories

Posted on December 29, 2011 by jumpjasper

Fall is synonymous with team sports, football, volleyball, soccer and cross country. All of these have their unique sports medicine concerns. When preparing for games I find it important to have the right accessories to take care of all of their needs. For all sports I carry a sturdy weatherproof bag filled with tape, pre-wrap, a variety of bandages, padding, splints, elastic wraps and scissors. It seems the bag gets heavier each year as I add some new gadgets and emergency equipment most of which goes unused. Honestly my most common injuries can be taken care of with simple pre-wrap and tape. I have come to find elastic tape that adheres to itself to be my newest favorite. It comes in a variety of colors (used for years in the vet industry) and widths. The great thing about this tape is that it doesn’t stick to skin and it is waterproof so you can quickly cover a wound and it won’t bleed through. This is important because this day and age with all of the concerns over blood borne pathogens a player cannot continue to play with blood showing, it must be covered. The tape provides steady pressure to stop bleeding and expands and contracts with the muscles making it comfortable enough to continue to play. I also carry saline solution in a spray container for cleaning wounds and surprisingly enough it cleans blood off uniforms quite well.
Besides minor cuts and abrasions my most commonly seen injury is a sprained ankle. This can be a debilitating injury for an athlete. My best advice for a newly sprained ankle is covered with a common acronym RICE. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation. If you have “rolled”, “twisted”, or “messed up” your ankle, you probably have a sprain. The sooner you can get ice on the ankle the better. The best way to ice it is to immerse the whole foot and ankle up to mid shin in a bucket or trash can full of ice water. This is painful for the first 5 minutes but then the toes go numb and it becomes tolerable. Visit any of the best athletic training facilities in the nation and you will see this in action. Do this for 20 minutes at a time. After icing wrap the ankle with an elastic bandage to control swelling and stay off of it for the next 24 hours or so. Make sure the wrap is not cutting off circulation (if the toes feet tingly or numb after it warms up). See a doctor if you have excessive swelling, pain over the fibula (bone on the outside of the ankle), deformity, or cannot bear weight at all. Stick with ice only for 3 days, NO HEAT. Heat increases bleeding and swelling. It will be fairly normal to begin to see bruising around the ankle and toes; gravity does this. The more you elevate during the first three days the faster the swelling will go down. After the swelling decreases and the athlete can walk fairly normal, you can begin to strengthen the ankle with toe raises or exercises with elastic tubing or therabands. Returning to play should happen when the athlete can balance on the injured ankle, jump and land on two feet without favoring the ankle, hop on the injured ankle, and cut from side to side while running. If the athlete cannot do all of these it is not safe to return to play. Most ankle sprains can be prevented with a good quality ankle brace. This is an accessory that many coaches of team sports are requiring. It may be the best investment you make besides good quality shoes for your young athlete.