Keeping Your Athlete Safe on the Field
Football is a very beloved sport at our household. My husband’s love for football began as a little boy and continued as he played on football teams in high school and college. This love for football has been passed down to our little toddler – pretty sure my son learned how to say “football” before “mom.”聽Nothing makes my two boys happier than tossing around the football in the backyard. To say the least, my boys live for football.
As a mother to a future football player, I want to learn all that I can to keep my little athlete safe while playing football. As聽the wife of retired NFL player Clay Matthews Jr. and mom to current NFL players Clay Matthews III and Casey Matthews, Leslie Matthews also recognizes the importance of keeping young athletes safe while on the field. I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Leslie Matthews about safety and young athletes. Following Leslie’s advice, I feel I have the tools I need to help protect my future athlete while playing the sport he loves.
I received compensation in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.聽
Keeping Your Athlete Safe on the Field
Good Nutrition: Leslie expresses the importance of making sure that your athlete has proper nutrition. She recommends making sure that they stay well hydrated through use of sports drinks and water. It’s important to replenish the electrolytes lost while playing sports. Before and after football games (or practice), it’s important to make sure your little athlete eats a good meal with a lot of protein.
Become Involved: It’s extremely important to make sure that you’re hands-on with your child’s coaches and athlete directors. Leslie stresses the importance of making sure you’re aware of the equipment your child is using as well as the training they are receiving. The more involved the parent is, the better.
Proper Equipment: Make sure that your child’s equipment provides the perfect fit for their body. The game of football can be very aggressive – it’s important to ensure that your little athlete’s receiving the best protection available.
Ensuring players’ safety is extremely important to Leslie and Riddell. Thankfully, Riddell InSite Impact Response System helps provide that added protection while on the field.
As Leslie explains, InSite is a wonderful teachable聽tool to help prevent head injuries while playing football. Placing a sensor pad inside of a player’s football helmet, alerts are sent to the sideline (through a hand-held device) when significant single or multiple impacts are sustained during a football game or practice. Leslie further explains that if the sideline staff notices a player is sustaining high impact, they can use this as a teachable moment to go over correct technique and ensure that proper changes are made to prevent future injury.
With tools such as InSite, good nutrition, proper equipment, and parent involvement, your little athlete can stay safe on the field this football season.
Great tips you have shared. I have a little guy who I hope wants to play sports but I will be one of those moms that is on the field worrying.
I can imagine this will provide a little peace of mind to a lot of families! I’m a little glad that Austin decided not to play; that would have been a huge worry for me all the time.
What a cute little guy. Great tips for playing sports like this.
Look at that football cutie on the beach! I always worry about my nephew when he is playing sports – we are in Texas and it’s quite something what the kids go through for football and baseball. I’ll be passing this along to my sister.
You are a brave momma! While I would have loved a son, I am very thankful I have three girls!
Do you know how many parents are going to appreciate this technology? It would be so good to know this.
Great tips. Safety in sports is such a important topic. Thanks for sharing.
Your son looks like he’s going to knock someone’s block off one day soon. He’s just got that football player look.
Your son is so cute! What a little jock he is!
Great tips! He is sooo stinking adorable.
That is just great… Thankfully my kids are still a bit young to worry about this, but Hubby and I have discussed safety tons since he got very hurt playing football years ago…
My brother was a football player! I wonder if my son will take after him!?
What a cute little football player you got there.
That first photo is absolutely precious!!! Awe! Great post, my husband used to coach football after playing for years and I’m afraid it’s done such a number on his hip. 馃檨
Great information- my friend’s son is in his first year of FB. I will share this with her for sure!
I am very involved with my daughter’s sports teams. I like to help her and her friends but also make sure she is safe playing. I can do that best by being there and being present.
He is so adorable! Hopefully I will have a son one day!
Ah how cute is that photo? My son is definitely going to need to be protected once he starts sports – he’s a thug haha.
I agree that safety is important and you need the right gear for your kids like this. My little boy is going to soccer and it freaks me out, lol.
My boys take karate and I sure do worry about them. When they do their forms, I am fine, but sparring and the weapons scare me.