Why An Athletic Therapist Should Be Part of Your Youth Sports Team

For many young athletes, sport is a huge part of their identity. It’s where they build confidence, form lasting friendships, and develop teamwork and leadership skills that stay with them well beyond the game. Every time a player laces up their skates, straps on their helmet, or tucks in their shin guards, they’re stepping into an opportunity for growth, character building, exercise—and most importantly, fun.

But as much as we love sport and competition, every time an athlete steps onto the playing surface, there's always a risk of injury.

Treating a young athlete can present unique challenges—not only for those involved in their care, but also for the coaches, families, and support networks surrounding them. Depending on their age, this might be their first significant injury. They may be feeling pain like never before, or experiencing anxiety about letting their team or supporters down. They might struggle to describe what they’re feeling or why. And perhaps most significantly, being sidelined during recovery can leave them feeling isolated from their teammates, with real impacts on their mental well-being.

So how can we support the physical, emotional, and mental health of youth athletes when injuries occur?

One of the most effective ways is by bringing a Certified Athletic Therapist (CAT(C)) onto your team—someone trained to manage injuries from the moment they happen through every stage of recovery, all the way to return-to-play.

Athletic Therapists are university-trained professionals who specialize in musculoskeletal injuries. They follow the sports medicine model of care and are certified in emergency first response, including Basic Life Support (BLS), CPR, and assisted breathing techniques. They are also trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of concussions and other serious conditions.

While serious emergencies are rare, minor injuries happen all the time. Sprains, strains, contusions, cuts, and fractures are part of sport—and an Athletic Therapist is equipped to assess and manage these injuries on the spot. They use functional testing to determine whether an athlete can safely return to play, and if so, whether taping or bracing is needed to help them perform at their best.

What really sets Athletic Therapists apart is the continuity of care they provide. By attending practices and games, they get to know each athlete individually—how they move, how they respond to pain, how they interact with teammates. This familiarity builds trust, which makes it more likely that athletes will speak up when something doesn’t feel right. That insight is especially valuable when monitoring for subtle signs of concussion, which often show up as personality changes or mood shifts that might go unnoticed without that close relationship.

Parents and supporters already invest so much in youth sports—time, money, energy, emotion. Having a Certified Athletic Therapist on your team is another investment, but one that protects your athlete’s health, supports their performance, and keeps them doing what they love, for longer.

Because when it’s safe, we’ll always help your athlete get back in on the Next Play.