Start the high school sports season on the right foot by making sure you’re well equipped and ready to compete.
Whether you’re a first-time high school athlete or a veteran, it’s always a good idea to make sure your bag has these essentials, especially during preseason:
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen
- Mouth guard
- Properly fitting equipment for your sport
- Rain gear
- Warmups
- Hydrating snacks such as strawberries, watermelon, and cantaloupe
Sports Safety
Once you have all the gear you need, it’s important to think about safety. That’s especially true because each year 2.6 million children ages 19 and under receive medical treatment for sports and recreation injuries, according to Safe Kids Worldwide.
These basic safety tips will help keep you in good shape, injury-free and ready to dedicate yourself to your high school sports season.
- Warm up and stretch before and after games and practices
- Stay hydrated before, during, and after activity
- Tell coaches and other adults if you’re in pain. Being the tough guy or girl only ensures you’ll develop a bigger problem
- Avoid overuse injuries. Experts encourage athletes to take at least one or two days off each week from the same sport and avoid playing the same sport year round
