If you’ve read my bio, you know that I have two children, a boy and a girl. They are both elementary aged and are both beginning to explore their talents. My daughter, now nine, has been fortunate enough to find her passion early as a competitive swimmer for a local team. My son, is still in the shall we say, discovery stage… and hasn’t exactly settled on just one sport yet.
So as he tries news things, my wife and I begin the dubious task of research. We’re looking for answers to the obvious questions:
- What equipment will he need?
- How many times a week will he practice?
- How much will all this stuff cost?
And most importantly,
- Is it safe?
Some people out there may believe that by researching youth sports injuries that I’m single handedly declaring a war on fun.
And to that I say, he’s only 6. I’m hoping that his brain will have a chance to fully develop before he suffers his first concussion. While not all injuries can be prevented, there are some that can. To help your child play safely, you can:
- Take time to learn about the risks of injury in the sport.
- Demand safe equipment, fields, courts, and anchored soccer goals. Inspect the field and goals at every practice and game to make sure that it is safely anchored.
- Bring a fully stocked first aid kit to every practice and game. Insist that every coach receive first aid and CPR training.
- Be aware of weather conditions. Encourage the sports organization to adopt specific weather policies.
- Just because someone has been given the designation of coach, that doesn’t mean you should trust them. Be sure that background checks have been performed on all adults interacting with your child.
- Know the signs of a concussion.
- Know the signs of heat related illnesses.
This month our son chose basketball. We were fortunate to find a non-competitive program at a church in Southwest Roanoke. The program is designed to focus on ball handling and well as sportsmanship. Full contact and rough playing was not encouraged or allowed.
Despite this, we still ended the season with a ball strike to the face and a turned ankle. Injuries happen, my wife and I understand that.
But many injuries can be prevented with vigilance.
If your child has sustained a sports injury due to the negligence of someone else or because of defective equipment, call The Thomson Law Firm for your free case evaluation today. (540) 777-4900
