INJURIES & CLIMATE

Watching the NFL Sunday Night Game of the Week between the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants, the issue of injuries struck me as an important issue to cover in this blog. The Giants came into the game with a significant depletion of their roster due to severe injuries, while the Broncos suffered several injuries throughout the game. From casual observation, these injuries may seem merely coincidental. However, there is also the strong possibility that each team has had other issues which may have created a climate that increased the risk of injury to the players.

To begin, there are various factors that contribute to potential injuries which have little to do with the game or competition itself. Perhaps the best way to conceptualize this is with the phrase, “stressors are distractors”. One of these is what is referred to as life change events. In short, major changes in an athlete’s life, whether good or bad, have an impact. The more severe the change, or impact on an athlete’s life, the greater the likelihood it becomes a distraction of focus during preparation and/or competition. What is more interesting is the fact that the window of time from a life change event to incident of injury is six months. Take a moment to consider the type of events that may impact your players and teammates in that timeframe; change in romantic partner relationships, deaths in the family, moving, signing a contract (professional or collegiate), and so on. All of these require a significant alteration in daily life, as well as coping to adjust. The result is an athlete with depleted energy and focus while engaged in the risks involved in sport related activities.

A second factor that falls within the “stressors are distractors” category is anxiety over being evaluated. Some teams operate under the model of pressure to perform, whereby the coach puts all players on notice that jobs are open for competition at all times. While I would agree that providing continuing opportunities to earn playing time is motivating, the situation becomes negative when the message is “play great or lose your job”. This latter scenario creates a heightened state of worry and distraction as the athlete finds himself concerned with who is watching, and what is being noted. As a result, this athlete can lose focus during play and miss relevant cues that he would normally read, and end up losing critical reaction ability that would prevent injury. There is also the likelihood that an athlete attempts to over do it, taking big risks to impress the coach, and putting himself in harms way in an attempt to make a big play.

A third factor for potential injury is athletes being asked to perform in a role that is beyond their current ability. Two issues come to mind here. One, an athlete may not have yet matured physically to a level where she can successfully execute the skills required. This has the potential to put an athlete at risk, without the tools to protect herself from the dangers of the assignment. Two, an athlete may be asked to play a position she has not practiced (or at the least practiced enough). Thus, without developing the necessary skills, she may be put into a competitive situation she is not ready for. As a result, the stress response increases as the athlete attempts to perform successfully, and once again you have a scenario in which the athlete is distracted or unable to read cues that may lead to injury.

So what can a coach do to help minimize the threats of injury? I would recommend creating an environment that communicates respect and care for the person over the athlete. The first approach a coach can take is to provide regular feedback that is fair and honest based on realistic expectations. Not all athletes will be ready or capable of performing equally. Instead, meet each where he is now, with communication about growth (think “next step” mentality to challenge him). Second, encourage open dialogue with athletes about life outside the lines of sport. It is not necessary that you pry or become overly personal in your relationships with players. But asking casual questions about family, school, and other topics can give the coach insights, as well as communicate that you may be a safe place for an athlete who needs to talk. This may require assigning such a duty to one of the coaches. Another step is to make connections with other personnel within the organization or community that can be a source of referral should you find an athlete who needs more than a sympathetic ear. And may I add, this is also a great reason to have a staff member with a background in sport psychology.

While I don’t mean to imply that coaches and organizations can completely eliminate injuries, I do hope this article is helpful in reducing some of the risk factors involved. Being aware of major changes in life allows coaches an opportunity to provide relief for players. Similarly, creating an environment of challenge and opportunity, rather than one which is threatening and punitive, benefits players as they become more focused on achievement. Also, keeping expectations of performance realistic limits the chance a player is put into a situation which he/she is not prepared for, or incapable of doing without unnecessary risk. My hope is this provides some insight on factors that may increase the likelihood of injury, and what you can do to minimize these risks. Should you find yourself wanting specific guidance in this area, why wait?  Make the call, bring in an expert.