Football and Boardin'

[KingCrimson]

Hell week started today, yet I had a good time, and never felt over-exerted. (funky..)

I'll feel it at the end of the week..

Anyway, I'm concerned about injuries that will ruin my carving (not that there's much to ruin, but you know what I mean)..

I'm not terribly concerned, being that I'm 6 foot 1 and up to 200 pounds again (thank you singlespeed cycling!) and most of the other freshmen are about 150-170 and considerably shorter; a quote from the coach today was "Dude, nobody's gonna go after this kid. He's gonna make a sick ass lineman" (Needless to say, the coach is a young guy)

I just don't want to trash my legs or something and be unable to carve, does anyone here have ill effects from highschool/college sports?

[davekempmeister]

I have "ill effects". I don't know if they are attributable to high school/collegiate sports though. Whatever, I can only tell you that IMHO the best way to avoid injury is to not even think about it. Self fulfilling prophecy is what I'm sayin'. Anyway, aren't you 14 yeears old? Stop thinking about getting hurt and just go do dangerous stuff.

[b0ardski]

+1

my skibum philosiphy as a young man was get it in while you can:biggthump

[trikerdad]

Read Michelle's signature and live by it.

[scotts.Scheinman]

if you get hurt, you get hurt, stuff happens, it aint the end of the world. worst comes to worst, you take the season off, or take advil.

[KingCrimson]

Someone managed to break an ankle today. Walking. On a new field.

Like I said, I'm not terribly concerned, after all, I do run mild DH bike runs on a fully rigid bike, I can't figure football could be worse.

[kjl]

Beware the knee injury. That crap lasts forever.

I popped my PCL in college. I was still able to play sports competitively until I was ~28 or 29, and then all the grinding in there finally started to take its toll. 3 surgeries later and I still can't really sprint or cut that well.

On the other hand, I can snowboard and kitesurf and bike just fine, so I guess it all worked out after all.

I'd do it all over again if I had the choice, though. You just have to be OK with the fact that some injuries are forever.

--

Ken

[chinchillaman]

My friend, raceboarder7, is a racer. He also was a football star. Weighing in at 150 lbs., 6,1" he is tall and tiny. During his freshman year he was clipped and tore his miniscus... bad news. He is an amazing racer, i'll put money down that he'll be open class national champion next year in copper. When ever he has a somewhat hard crash, the knee swells to the size of a melon Which also results in either no riding for a week or riding like a pansy for a week, which doesn't help with racing. So just beware.

[Steve Prokopiw]

Here's my advice based on being 14 and letting pride get in the way of sensability.If an opponent has your lower leg leveraged during a tackle or block just go down;don't fight it.That one cost me a hyper extension ,severe knee sprain and some future problems.

[ncermak]

Just ask these guys:

http://www.adaptiveactionsports.com/

Some of the bravest and most incredible people I've come across...

( In other words...get out and play. Give it your all. Having fear will hold you back, and increase your chances of injury. And if you do get hurt...work Hard, and continue to give it all. No matter what the Injury, you can still find ways to do the things you love...)

[tex1230]

you're 14 and worrying about injuries?

Maybe you should lock yourself ina padded room and eat Jello and Cream of WHeat for the rest of your life.

or maybe you should take some chances and actually experience living?

worrying about what could happen will keep you from experiencing life. just get out there and play your sports.

[kjl]

Somewhere in between "locking yourself in a padded room" and "engaging in stupidly dangerous activities" is the happy medium, I think ;)

Like, biking without a helmet feels good because you can feel the wind in your hair, but most people would agree that the small risks of severe brain injury and debilitating, lifelong incapacitation would be not worth it.

Like I said, I'd play all my sports all over again knowing that I have a screwed up knee still that will bother me for the rest of my life, but that is a decision we all make ourselves. In the team I was on, maybe 50% of us had reconstructive knee surgery - mostly ACLs, a few (but statistically high # of) PCLs, some meniscus damage. But not everybody would find that a reasonable risk.

Athletes give up one sport to decrease the chance of injury so they can play another sport all the time.

[ncermak]

Athletes give up one sport to decrease the chance of injury so they can play another sport all the time.

This is true. But 14 is too early to specialize. The body is still growing and changing. By limiting to small group of activities, the chance of injury increases.

King -

Go out and try everything. Enjoy the games...remember, it is a very small portion of participants in any athletic endeavor that are gifted and lucky enough to go pro, and make a career of it. I can tell the story of friend who was drafted in the 7th round by toronto (hockey) out of high school. he suffered multiple injuries in College, and never was invited to camp. He still plays hockey and still loves it...Just not on a pro level (still much better than the average joe though.) What I'm saying is that very few injuries will prevent you continuing with the activities that you enjoy, Unless you let them...

-Noah

[alpinegirl]

or to sum up what was just said, get out there and hit some people. it's fun, and the footwork will make you a better rider all around.

[KingCrimson]

Here's my advice based on being 14 and letting pride get in the way of sensability.If an opponent has your lower leg leveraged during a tackle or block just go down;don't fight it.That one cost me a hyper extension ,severe knee sprain and some future problems.

Haha, this is the kind of advice I was looking for, not "Go out and be a dumbass"

I'm 14, that's a given. :p

Today I got told I'm going to be the russian (or is it rushing?) linebacker and fullback, with the occasional offensive tackle on a trap play. Pretty cool.

I'm curious as to how long my burton plates and speed will last..next season. I was 190 in fat in May, dropped down to 172 in July, and I'm up to 204 in muscle. I'm pretty darn happy about that, I'll be bending my knees for once with my quads bulking up.

[ncermak]

I'm curious as to how long my burton plates and speed will last..next season. I was 190 in fat in May, dropped down to 172 in July, and I'm up to 204 in muscle. I'm pretty darn happy about that, I'll be bending my knees for once with my quads bulking up.

dropped 20 lbs in 2 months, then added 30 lbs in another month?

As I said before, you are still growing and your body is changing. I would be very careful with such drastic weight and muscle changes. seek the professional advice of a trainer and a doctor. If you are over training, you will again be opening yourself up to significant lifelong injury.

A story related to me by Dr. Joe Morgan - The former team dr for the red sox: A teenage boy came into the office with his shoulder completely thrashed. He had been identified as pitching prospect. so in addition to regular team workouts, he would come home and throw a hundred or so pitches each night. needless to say, there is a reason pitchers are in a rotation. From having some real promise, this kid ruined his ability to play at all.