Late last August, 17-year-old Ribault High School football defensive end Jalen Ford was settling in for a play on the 38-yard line during a game when he fell face down on the field in front of stunned players and spectators. Seeing what had happened, the two referees closest to him whistled the game to a halt as players from both teams looked on with concern. In seconds, paramedics rushed in, joined by Ribault’s certified athletic trainer Melissa Angel, LAT, ATC, and their team physician, Willie Sykes, MD, to assess his condition before taking him away for treatment.
That particular Friday evening was hot and humid, and thinking back Ford only recalls that he was feeling very fatigued right before he lost consciousness. Still pumped up from scoring a touchdown a few minutes prior, he didn’t pay much attention to what his body was telling him.
“I guess I was on an adrenaline high and there was a lot going on,” he said. “I remember looking at the ball and at one of the linebackers before the play, and then it was just lights out.”
Ford is not the only one who learned an important lesson from the experience, said Kelvin Smith, head coach of the Ribault Trojans football team.
“I think the reality of it really opened everyone’s eyes. Our kids were very concerned about him, and shocked about what happened,” said Smith. “It was a significant learning experience because they saw first-hand what can happen if you don’t take care of your body by staying hydrated.”
Ribault was one of the first five Duval County public high schools to welcome a full-time certified athletic trainer to their staff through Project 17. The collaborative initiative, which includes the participation of the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, the National Football League, the City of Jacksonville, Jacksonville University and the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program (JSMP), was developed to reduce the incidence and severity of sports-related injury through prevention and care provided by these certified athletic trainers who are present for all sporting events – including conditioning, practices, strength training and games – at the schools. Baldwin, Englewood, Jackson, Raines and Ribault were the first five to be assigned one; this summer, Terry Parker and Westside welcomed theirs.
At Ribault, Angel has had a year to get to know the coaches, the athletic programs and most importantly, the student-athletes. And they have come to value her.
“I was very happy when Ribault got a full-time athletic trainer. It’s so important to have someone in that role here to handle these types of situations,” Coach Smith said. “Every coach needs to be certified to a certain point, but having a certified athletic trainer on hand at the school who can very knowledgeably assess a situation and make more-informed decisions about the student’s needs is so valuable.”
In Ford’s case, Angel’s evaluation concluded right away that he was suffering from severe dehydration and heat exhaustion. In addition to fatigue, she said heat-related issues caused by being improperly hydrated can cause symptoms ranging from a headache, cramping and dizziness to vomiting and losing consciousness. Following the incident, she made it a mission to put more focus on the importance of proper hydration for the team.
“I took action to help prevent such an incident from recurring,” Angel said. “I made a point of having cups in the athletic training room for any player who might need something to drink before practice; I made sure ice chests were placed out before practices; trained my team managers to more actively hand out water during practice and breaks; and attended post-practice meetings to reinforce to the to the coaching staff and student-athletes the importance of proper hydration.”
The body cools itself when perspiration evaporates but on humid days, its ability to do so is less effective because of the amount of moisture in the air. When the body is lacking fluids, which aid in perspiration, the possibility of overheating escalates. Certified athletic trainers recommend drinking 20 ounces of water or a sports drink about two hours before activity, an additional 7 to 10 ounces at least 20 minutes before practice, and taking fluid breaks every 20 minutes or so during practice.
“The bottom line is that hydration is key when it comes to participating in sports,” Angel said.
Fill the Water Bottle Challenge
As Ford’s story illustrates, having a certified athletic trainer at all Duval County Public Schools ensures the health and safety of male and female student-athletes in all high school sports. The goal of Project 17 is to place one in all of the high schools by 2020. With that in mind, student-athletes are participating in a fundraising challenge during the month of September using special water bottles to collect spare change that will go towards funding the project. These special water bottles will be displayed at ticket collection points, concession stands, and in the athletic training rooms, and will be carried around at games, school and out in the community by student-athletes and cheerleaders who will be asking for donations.
“We’re using water bottles for our collection so we can keep the concept of proper hydration at the forefront of people’s minds,” said Jim Mackie, LAT, ATC, with the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program. “We’re also making this fundraising project fun for the student-athletes, teams and schools by incorporating a drawing for those who fill their bottles and collect the most funds for prizes that include an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), athletic training and medical supplies, and sports equipment.”
To find out how you can help and for more information about this fun challenge, call the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program at 904.202.5320 or visit the website at jaxsmp.com.
ITG Web Content
Stay Hydrated and Stay In The Game
Presented by Wolfson Children’s Hospital
Photos by Kim Hoy and Courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars
