TAKE 5 with Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Youth sports don’t feature the same dangerous combination of size, speed, power and aggression that defines professional sports, but injuries still remain a natural part of the game.
Even though minor injuries are often unavoidable, at Liberty Mutual Insurance Play Positive™ we believe it is a smart policy to take measures to help prevent serious and costly injuries and to limit, identify and treat injuries when they do happen.
We sat down with U.S. Ski Team alpine standout Ryan Cochran-Siegle to get his thoughts on how youth athletes, coaches and Positive Sport Parents can help prevent, treat and overcome injuries.
In our exclusive TAKE 5 interview, Ryan told us that knowing about yourself and your body is key to preventing overuse injuries. Part of that insight includes knowing when to back off, and just rest and relax.
“I have found a lot of injuries are oftentimes related to being fatigued or overworked,” said Ryan. “In order to prevent being injured, I try to be aware of both my physical and mental energy levels. When I begin to feel tired, it’s an indication that I need to rest. Having an understanding of your own self is important, so that you know when you can push yourself, and when you need to take a break.”
Like most high-level athletes, Ryan has had to deal with injury and the setback that comes along with it. He told us that “visualizing” a successful return is key in maintaining a positive attitude on the road to recovery.
“I used the time that I was forced to be off snow as motivation to get back on snow,” said Ryan. “The longer I was off snow, the more I wanted to get back on snow. Visualizing myself eventually being back in the starting gate helped me focus on what I needed to accomplish on a daily basis in order to get back to where I wanted to be.”
As tough as it is for an athlete to deal with and come back from injuries, Ryan believes that such experiences can teach youth athletes many valuable lessons about not just sports, but life in general.
“Things will get better,” said Ryan. “It just takes time and patience. Injury has also taught me that nothing in life has to be permanent. It takes hard work to make the changes you desire.”
Ryan also believes firmly that coaches and Positive Sport Parents can make an impact when it comes to preventing, treating and overcoming injuries in youth skiing.
“Just make sure that their child or athlete is getting the necessary amount of time to recover,” said Ryan. “Also, make sure your child or athlete is correctly wearing the proper safety equipment for their sport, like a helmet or mouth guard.”
To read the full TAKE 5 interview with Ryan, visit PlayPositive.com. And come back next month for another exclusive TAKE 5 interview!
At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we constantly look for ways to celebrate the countless acts of positivity shown by people every day. We created Play Positive, powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, as part of this belief to help ensure that our kids experience the best that sports have to offer in environments that promote and display positivity. We believe kids can learn valuable life lessons when coaches and parents come together to support winning on and off the snow.
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