By Jeromy Corrigan

Safety & Risk

How safety and risk plays a major role in sports today compared to 20 years ago

May 14, 2020 | 11:19 AM

When developing athletes and helping them get to the next level, there are many precautions and safety measures which need to be taken by both the athlete and Association/organization training them.

“Today safety and risk is an immensely important component in athlete development,” stated Director of Club Operations PGYSA Terrol Russell.

“When we look at the environment we surround the athlete with there are a couple of key components. One is what we call periodization or yearly planning. Athletes can not drive at 100% 250-280 days a year. It’s just impossible.”

The health and wellness component is also a significant aspect of safety and risk which has developed immensely over the last 20 years.

“One of the biggest pieces is we have to make sure we surround ourselves with people that are able to support athletes, nutrition, mental skills, hydration, and these types of pieces,” added Russell.

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“When we look at where sports science sits today, it plays a much bigger role. It’s not just going out and play. When you look at it from a tournament perspective with multiple games in multiple days, it’s no longer what it was decades ago where you just go out and perform and play and the expectation is you reach a certain level of output. Great, but what are we doing to help the athletes to adjust to have success in the environment? What are we doing to help them repair their bodies? How are we working with the athletes from a mental skills component? Sports science plays a very important role today.”

Some athletes who are pursuing the next level though, do need to be held back a bit so they don’t harm their bodies, and that is where the parents come in.

“Parents play a very important role,” explained Russell.

“It’s a team effort between the organization, the athlete and their parents. We are all part of one cohesive unit. Why do we have to be a cohesive unit? Because at the end of the day it is about helping the athlete achieve their dreams and goals in their sport.”

To conclude our athlete development feature on Friday, we look at the future of sport following the Covid-19 pandemic.