LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Student athletes across Kentucky are gearing up for football season and personnel on the sidelines are packed and ready to help keep players safe.
In Louisville, Norton Sports Health and KORT Physical Therapy are ensuring Jefferson County Public School athletes have top-notch sports medicine care all season long.
Physician assistant Erin Gish said she is ready for any medical emergency on or off the field.
“Crazy things happen, especially in football. Kids can get hit awkwardly; their heart can stop. And so you need to have someone there that can actually help take care of that situation as well. I’ve also been summoned to the stands before to take care of a parent that’s been injured or a grandpa that’s fallen down, or blood sugars that are low,” said Gish.
Between 2015 and 2019, according to the National Health School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study, there were about 1.9 million injuries nationally related to boys high school football.
Butler Traditional High School Head Football Coach Gary Wheeler said it’s comforting knowing there is a team helping to make sure student athletes stay safe.
“The one thing you gotta know is that we have people’s kids on the sideline. So the more people we can have over to help the kids out, the better,” said Wheeler.
Senior Jonas Rivera, a guard/center for the Bears, said over the past three years, he has had everything from a sprained ankle to jammed fingers.
“I can play my heart out. And if I get hurt, you know, sprained ankle. I know I’m taking care of it,” said Rivera.
An athletic trainer at Butler, Leighanne Higdon, said it’s important that student athletes notify a trainer when something is bothering them.
“Because we are here for that reason, instead of trying to play on an injury and making it worse. Continue to play. We can help get them stronger and make them better for the sport,” said Higdon.
“I’m looking out for the safety of them. I’m looking at their life long term. I want them to be able to play sports with their kids when they grow up,” said Gish.
Norton Sports Health athletic trainers are serving at 26 Louisville-area schools, providing injury prevention, rehab support and emergency care during practices and games.
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