It’s hard to overlook the sight of one of your classmates hobbling down the hallway or having to leave class just a few minutes early in order to save themselves from the herds of students in the hallways. As football and many other sports seasons are in full swing, it seems that sports injuries are also.

Since the start of the 2018 fall season, many tigers have had to sit the bench due to fairly severe injuries. Senior Ricky Branch tore his MCL in a play against the Benton Rangers a couple weeks ago. Minutes before halftime, Branch was blocking a Benton linemen when the player fell onto Branch’s knee pushing it outward. “I was just wondering why my knee wouldn’t move. I thought I could just walk it out, but heck no.” Branch stated.  Although Branch tried to walk it off he “had a feeling it was bad”. The school’s trainer has given Branch exercises to improve movement in his knee for recovery and will give him the go-ahead to hit the field again in the next week or so. “As soon as she gives me the green-light, I’m hitting the field.”

The injuries don’t stop at torn MCL’s. Senior Morgan Mckinnies received a concussion during the powder puff when she was running a quarterback sneak against the sophomores. As she tried to change directions she was hit from the side, flipping her over onto her back and shoulders while hitting the back of her head against the ground. The extent of Mckinnies’ injuries don’t stop at a concussion either. During that same play, Mckinnies was hit in the eye and she rolled her ankle seconds before the collision, gaining a black eye and swollen ankle alongside her head injury.  “I’m given a limited time for computer and phone use, restricted from doing certain homework assignments and classroom or standardized tests, and not allowed in PE.” McKinnies hopes to only be restricted due to her concussion for only a week, but only time will tell.

In football there are many implemented rules to avoid injuries such as concussions. Like football, nearly every sport has its own regulations on physicality and sportsmanship.

“Trying to avoid these injuries can hinder an athlete from playing to his or her best ability,” stated Mckinnies in the interview, “but I feel like certain actions can be taken for some sports.”

As some sports seasons are coming to a close and some are just opening, injured athletes are not uncommon, but the school has taken the precautions necessary to protect students such as required concussion screenings and a trainer on hand from Sportsology.