Sports Then and Now

As a coach, it should be your top priority to keep your athletes safe. In fact, it may be a higher priority than trying to win the game. The good news is that there are many steps that you can take to keep your players safe while also putting them in the best position to succeed.

Take a Conservative Approach to the Game

It may be possible to keep injuries to a minimum by taking a conservative approach to the game. For instance, you may want to prevent younger pitchers from throwing pitches involving the use of their elbow. Football coaches may discourage quarterbacks from throwing passes to wide receivers in the middle of the field.

Make Players Wear Optional Safety Equipment

Athletes will do anything for a competitive edge even if it may put their physical health at risk. This means that they may wear smaller pads or even forego pads at all if it slows them down or otherwise hinders their ability to play the game properly. As a coach, you should only play those who wear all required and even optional equipment as well to make sure no one gets hurt.

Monitor What Goes Into a Player’s Body

Another issue that a coach needs to consider is what goes into a player’s body. While some may use steroids or other performance enhancing drugs to bulk up or otherwise improve their chances of performing well on game day, there are many side effects to consider as well. Those who bulk up too much could suffer muscle strains or tears. They could also experience mood swings that may cause them to take risks on or off of the field that lead to injury.

Never Stop Learning About Player Safety

Coaches need to stay on the cutting edge on ways to keep players safe on the field. Whether this means engaging in modern training techniques or using better safety equipment or minimizing big hits during games, studying up on safety or looking into coaching master’s degree programs can help you approach the game from a player safety perspective.

No one wants to see a player get hurt during a game. Whether you’re coaching a superstar or just a role player on the team, you want to make sure that he or she can go back home in one piece with the ability to live a normal life once his or her playing days are over.