Apr 14, 2020Texas A&M athletic trainer not quick to rush on return to sports
No one wants sports to start back up more than those within collegiate athletic departments across the country. While that may hold true for most, one athletic trainer from Texas A&M warns about athletes taking to the field too quickly.
In a report from the Dallas Morning News on April 11, The Aggie’s director of athletic training, Dan Jacobi, said if and when student-athletes return to campus, it will be unlike any previous layoff they’ve encountered.
This isn’t like a return from winter break or summer vacation.
“This will probably be different than the normal student-athlete who comes back off of a break we’re used to,” Jacobi told the Dallas Morning News. “I think we’re really going to have to assess readiness when they get back on campus and where they are as a team.”
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Jacobi went on to highlight that with limited access to weight rooms or gym while practicing social distancing, student-athletes are forced to piece together makeshift workouts from home. That transition from home workouts to practicing with teammates at a collegiate level could slow the desired performance results from both players and coaches alike.
To avoid a potential higher injury rate, Jacobi said it’ll be imperative for coaching staffs to properly assess the floor and ceiling of an athlete’s performance and adjust accordingly for the time needed to reach their high points.
“If you try to rush that too much, that increases injury rates and puts our student-athletes at risk,” Jacobi told the Dallas Morning News. “If we don’t do enough to get them ready, that leaves them predisposed to more injuries in the season. From my standpoint, from a medical standpoint, I think we have to be prepared for that whenever we get back on campus.”
To read the full story from The Dallas Morning News on what other major colleges are considering to stay ready when sports re-open, click here.
