The Reporter • October 201114 (sports)

Head checkGetz, Ebeling not worried about

serious head injury, they said

Freshman volleyball player Mallory Gillilandtakes the concussion test before the start of the season. The preseason test is a baseline reading.

Senior Bryan Ebeling realizes concus-sions occur but is not worried about get-ting one in soccer. Sophomore Drew Henn doesn’t feel as certain when in a football game.

Concussions have always been a concern in sports and last year after the tragic death of Nathan Stiles during a football game between Osawatomie and Spring Hill, more precau-tions are being taken to protect athletes.

As of this year every student involved in athletics has to take the concussion tests.

It’s so “the school can know what to ex-pect when a player is retested after a concus-sion,” activities director Jeff Hines said.

Even though athletes have to take the con-cussion tests junior Paige Getz, and senior Bryan Ebeling aren’t worried about sustain-ing a concussion.

“Concussions don’t happen that often in soccer but one kid did get a concussion in the Eudora game,” Ebeling said.

Sophomore Drew Henn said that football players are more likely to get a concussion because it is a contact sport.

“Football players are hitting someone every play and which increase the chances of doing something to injure your head,” Henn said.Hines agrees that some sports are more at

risk than others for something bad happening that is concussion related.

“Contact sports such as football and bas-ketball are more apt to get a head injury,” Hines said “Cheerleading is probably the second most likely sport for concussions be-cause of the stunts.”

Getz said that concussions can be very se-rious if not recognized when they occur.

“If players keep playing after they get a concussion and they get another one life-threating things can occur,” Getz said.

Hines said that concussions have been on the rise in recent years and that the test that were administered hope to bring the num-ber down.

“Student safety is the No. 1 priority when it comes to sports and the concussion tests are in the intention that we will be able to diagnose a concussion and prevent serious injuries,” Hines said.

Junior Savannah Taylor and senior Tyler Henness say it is better to eat light before a game than to not eat at all.

Some athletes watch what they eat because they want to perform well. Henness, a running back on the football team, said when there are team meals at 4 p.m., he only eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“It’s partly because of nerves but also because I don’t like to eat a lot of junk food,” Henness said. This is the last time Henness eats before a game.

Henness said some people eat a lot at the team meals, while others don’t.

“Varsity tries not to eat as much, but if someone is not playing that night they eat as

much as they want,” Henness said.Taylor, a left side on the volleyball team,

also doesn’t eat heavily before a game.“I have a light snack, but not a big meal,”

Taylor said.Karl Schmidt, a coach for cross country,

said the energy students use during a meet is from the food they ate the night before.

“In cross country, you run in the morning, so it is rare for kids to eat a big breakfast,” Schmidt said. “We try to carb load.” Carb loading is eating lots of carbohydrates.

Schmidt said the cross country team eats a spaghetti dinner before their first meet.

Junior Heather Thornberg, cross country runner, said she doesn’t eat during the two

hours before a meet, but some people do.

“Some people eat a granola bar right before they run because they always have,” Thornberg said.

Schmidt said if someone eats a lot before they run bad things can happen.

“They might see their food again.” Schmidt said.

Photo by Caleb Hecker

Eating on a

Eating before or after competition depends on the athlete

marissa bergman reporter

nervousstomach

caleb hecker sports editor