I’ve worked a lot of football games over the years and have heard a lot of things on the sidelines, but this is still my favorite. It was the third or fourth quarter of a home JV football game and one of the players came running to the sidelines and made a bee line to me. After he caught his breath, he asked if I had any hand sanitizer. Giving him the benefit of the doubt and knowing the head varsity coach was standing right beside me, I gave him a second chance and asked if he meant he wanted some powder for his hands. He shook his head no and said he wanted hand sanitizer – “you know, that gel stuff.”
The head coach and I exchanged glances and quickly looked away for fear we would both start laughing. This was the first time I had heard a request like this. I was impressed with myself that I could keep a straight face while listening to his answer of why he needed it. His response was that he had just sneezed in his hands and didn’t want to get germs on the football since other kids had to touch the ball too.
I thanked him for practicing such good hygiene habits and after explaining to the JV coach that the kid was okay to return to the game, I went back to my spot by the head varsity coach. We both chuckled and the coach admitted he had never heard anything like it either. Although I’m pleased that student athletes trust me with their concerns and are cautious when it comes to germs and health, today it is one of the most memorable things I’ve ever heard during a football game. It even tops the day I witnessed a line coach having his players hold hands pre-game while he talked with tears in his eyes about sharing the magic on the field. It’s all in a day’s work and why I love my job and experiences as an Athletic Trainer.
Written By: Danielle Kleber, ATC
dkleber@athletestrainingcenter.com