Jun 29, 2015HS Football Players Get Up-Close Look At Traumatic Injuries
A high school football team combined learning with community service, in a recent trip to Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation in Dallas. Twenty five players for Grapevine (Texas) High School visited patients recovering from injuries to the brain and spinal cord—injuries for which football players are at risk.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for our kids to realize how lucky they are to be healthy,” Grapevine High football coach Randy Jackson told wfaa.com.
Students played games with some patients and visited with others. They tried to maneuver in wheelchairs and gained an appreciation for how difficult recovery can be.
“We train every day, but they train for something different. They train just to do their every-day functions,” said junior Matthew Ingram. “It might make people a little more cautious.”
Dr. Seema Sikka told wfaa.com that since the awareness of head injuries in football has been on the rise, there have been fewer sports-related injuries at the Institute. Jackson, who teaches student-athletes to protect themselves on the field, hopes that the time spent with recovering patients will instill those lessons.
