How Eric Nelson Keeps Cedar City Athletes Safe During Fall Season

For high school athletes, the person standing on the sidelines may be almost as important as the coach. Athletic trainers are there not only when injuries happen, but also to help prevent them and determine when an athlete should not be playing.

Eric Nelson, an athletic trainer with Intermountain Health Cedar City Hospital, works primarily at Canyon View High School, where fall sports have him juggling football, volleyball, cross country and soccer.

Nelson in Studion / Dr. T - Canva Design

“I hope nothing happens, but also if nothing happens, I don’t have a job,” Nelson said during an interview on the Big Picture Morning Show on KSUB. “Just being around, being willing to those kids that maybe have a little aches and pains, but then also being there for those emergencies.”

Heat Is Issue As Fall Sports Start In Summer

One of the biggest concerns during the early part of the fall season is heat. Football players in particular can face increased risks while practicing in full equipment.

Nelson said athletes go through a heat-optimization program, gradually adding equipment as they become acclimated. Trainers also monitor the wet bulb globe temperature, which considers humidity, wind and air temperature to determine the risk of heat illness.

player lying on field — Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash

“It’s a green, yellow, orange, red, and black area,” Nelson explained. “Based on what the temperature is and everything going on, are we safe to practice in full gear or do we need to change into something lighter?”

Nelson said Canyon View has reached the orange level a couple of times, but additional water breaks and removing helmets have generally been enough to keep practices safe.

Lightning is another reason practices can suddenly come to an end. Nelson recently had to send soccer, football and cross country athletes indoors after lightning moved into the area.

man in white sleeveless top — Photo by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash

Among the most common injuries he sees are ankle sprains and overuse injuries. And while athletes are often eager to get back onto the field, Nelson said safety has to come first.

“One thing I focus on is some of these kids is you still have your whole life ahead of you,” he said. “Don’t let something when happening when you’re 14 to 18 years old make a difference in your whole life.”

Nelson recommends that parents make sure student athletes receive a physical before the season and emphasized the importance of sleep and nutrition. Sleep, he said, is when the body repairs itself and recovers from the physical demands of training.

football players struggling to hold the football during daytime — Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash

The partnership between Intermountain Health and local schools also gives athletes access to resources beyond the training room. Nelson said his services at Canyon View are free to students, while Intermountain can provide access to sports medicine doctors, nutritionists, orthopedic specialists and sports psychologists.

For Nelson, the job is ultimately about more than injuries.