This past fall, Hinsdale Central’s athletes have been working very hard to win games and have fun. Football, Boys Soccer, Cross Country, Girls Volleyball and many other sports that were a part of the fall season have resulted in some injuries.

Over the 2022 fall season, Boys Varsity Soccer lost one of their starting seniors, Martin Montoya.

During a soccer game he broke his tibia, a very large bone in the lower leg. 

“I go to every game with my team and even though I’m not playing I want to be there for my team,” Montoya said.

This year, and many past years, the boys varsity soccer team has played extremely well and are fourteen time conference champions. While Montoya may not have been able to play he is still able to support his team and encourage them on the sidelines. 

“Because I did start, the team loses some of the skills that I have and they’ve had to adapt to maintain or even out the strengths that I brought to the team,” Montoya said. 

A lengthy healing process, ranging from three to sixth months, implies a loss of a strong player for the rest of the season. Injury not only impacts the player who was injured but also the whole team. 

The athletic trainers work with all injuries and make an effort to see improvement and help athletes who are injured. Alex Kennedy, Sam Bell, and Luke Picek, are aiding and providing relief to athlete injuries daily at Hinsdale Central. 

“Football has a majority of the injuries we’ve seen, but across the board there has been a rise in sport injury unfortunately,” Bell said.

Soccer is not the only sport at Central that has been affected by injury. The athletic trainers provide support both physically and mentally for all athletes at Central. 

“We try to encourage those that are injured by letting them know that their feelings and frustrations are valid,” Bell said. 

Athletes who are going through injuries face many difficulties during that time and our athletic trainers can assure us that it is understood that going through this is going to be frustrating and definitely not pleasant.

“We want athletes to use that frustration as motivation through recovery,” Bell said. 

Athletic trainers are using these frustrations to get back onto the field, court, floor, etc. as soon as possible. The trainers are going to be there for the injured athletes providing them with advice and support. 

“We try to build strong relationships with our athletes so that if something happens to them, they know that we are always in their corner and that we are someone they can lean on,” Bell said. 

Injured athletes are ensured support from many people on their path to recovery, and evidently support plays a large role. Athletic trainers, who are responsible for the improvement of injuries, are always available and provide a large amount of support for athletes who are struggling with their injuries. 

Support is important for the success in recovery of an athlete dealing with injury.