As students get ready for their practice they realize they forgot to stretch as they were getting ready. They think about the importance of stretching and everything that it can do for them and how it can improve their performance. They also think about how it can decrease their chances of getting injured, and decide to take a couple extra minutes to stretch to prevent this from happening.

Many people are getting injured during this sports season and people believe that these injuries are being caused by either not stretching at all, or not enough.

“It helps maintain a healthy range of motion,” strength teacher John Beerbower says, “And movement quality for the athletes.”
If athletes were to keep a healthy range of motion and stretch before they practice or before they play they would be less likely to injure themselves.

“I broke my ankle in April and needed surgery in September,” MCHS student Bella Botts says, “If I would have stretched in April before I played basketball, I wouldn’t have broken it.”

If students listened to what their coaches tell them about stretching and keeping up their strength for their sports they would be less likely to become injured. They also wouldn’t have to worry about an injury that would affect them long term.

“If I actually listened to what the physical therapist had told me about stretching and strengthening my ankle,” says Botts, “I wouldn’t have needed the surgery.”

Many athletes don’t realize the importance of stretching, flexibility and what it can do for your body’s health and even your performance for your games. Many athletes are able to perform better if they partake in exercises and stretching. It is also shown to better the overall health of the individual.

“Genetic, training, focus and age all have an impact on a person’s flexibility,” Beerbower says, “However, the body adapts to stretching, and improvements can be made. Flexibility is an important factor in athlete health and fitness.”

If athletes keep up their bodies health and keep up with stretching regularly the athletes health and fitness can be kept up and even improved. Stretching can increase athletes flexibility which can help to improve athletes health and fitness. If athletes kept up with their health and fitness their performance skills would increase and they would be able to play better during their games.

Athletes would overall have better success if they kept up their strength and flexibility.