The new season of electric Totino-Grace Football has kicked off, and once again fans are observing the spectacle of their favorite players hitting the turf. Players may make brave faces at showtime, but the unspoken injuries they hide are only exclusive to coaches and a beloved athletic trainer. 

Football is a sport where coaches “treat these players as interchangeable,” the Chicago Policy Review states. Coaches and staff involved with the Totino-Grace Eagles strongly have the opposite belief. 

High school football injuries may occur more often and at a higher rate than any other high school sport, but that doesn’t mean Dave Matzoll, the team’s athletic trainer, takes this information lightly. 

Matzoll is in his 30th year with TG Football and is in full command of ensuring the players taking the field can get the job done safely. He often frequents the training room, taping athletes’ pre- and post-game/practice, and also ultimately decides whether a player is fit to return to play in the event of a potential injury.

“During a typical varsity pre-game, around 15-20 players will need some sort of taping in the training room prior to heading out to play. This will include both preventative taping for ankles and taping an existing injury to provide support,” Matzoll adds.

“If a player is injured during the game, the process to determine if it is safe for him to return really depends on the situation,”  Matzoll says. He also stated, “I have never felt any pressure coming from our coaching staff to put a player back in when it is not deemed safe to do so. They have always supported my in game recommendations. They are the best.”

Off the practice turf, methods like proper technique and strength training are utilized to ensure the team performs properly. The importance of play technique cannot be overstated, especially in a high-contact sport such as this. 

A study by PDHPE reflects on how poor tackling technique leads to a higher injury and even a higher risk for serious career-ending injuries. 

Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest in the middle of a game, on national television, after being hit square in the helmet. Excessive blunt force by Tee Higgins was officially the cause of his accident, according to the American Heart Association. 

“Home football games are my favorite part of fall,”  a current senior added. They also added, “When people get hurt on the field, I’m genuinely worried about them.”. 

Eagles across all Totino-Grace athletics pride themselves on physicality and safety, while also balancing fun and goofing off. 

Matzoll additionally stated, “This year will be the 30th year working with TG Football. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such great and supportive football coaching staff for so many years. It has truly been a blessing.”. 

While the MSHSL State Tournament is still far out, set for the first weeks of November, students can be hopeful that the seats of U.S Bank Stadium will bleed blue and gold.