For many college athletes, winning is the most important goal of competing.

Winning can cost much more than just time, sweat and tears. Every day athletes put themselves at the potential risk of getting injured simply to win.

Injuries are all too common in athletics, whether it be in the recreational leagues, high school, college or professional levels.

People enter the sports world knowing that injuries can, and most likely will, occur.

The Sacramento State softball team is no different when it comes to having injuries happen to its players.

Sherry Clark, the team’s third baseman, is the latest to get bitten by the injury bug.

Clark injured her knee in a recent game, and the extent of her injury wasn’t known at press time.

Coach Kathy Strahan hopes it will not affect the team in any way.

“We were all saddened by her loss. She is well-liked and respected ? and, of course, depended on,” Strahan said.

When an injury is suffered by a player, it can not only affect the player, but the team’s morale.

Terri-Ann Caoagan, a teammate of Clark, believes the injury to Clark might affect the team.

“It definitely affects us ? I hope we don’t lose the momentum we had while she was playing,” Caoagan said.

Depending on the severity of a player’s injury, returning to play midseason is mostly dependent on how he or she reacts to the rehabilitation process.

Lindsey McEuen, the team’s athletic trainer, plays an important role in helping the player get physically and mentally prepared to return.

“We, as the sports medicine staff, try our best to get the athletes back as soon as possible,” McEuen said. “We play a vital role by being positive and encouraging them to continue with the rehab in order to participate again.”

It can be especially hard for a player to return to action after an injury, if he or she are in unfamiliar territory.

“The mental aspect is a huge part of the rehab process; most athletes have never been hurt before so they have a hard time dealing with not playing or not being able to be with the team,” McEuen said.

Knowing that injuries are a part of the game can help a player build tolerance against the fear of possibly having an injury.

For Caoagan, thinking about getting hurt is the furthest thing from her mind.

“I never think about it, because if I do I would be hesitant to do certain things ? I deal with injuries when they come,” Caoagan said.

The right-handed hitting senior has had her fair share of injuries as a Hornet.

As a freshman and a sophomore at Sac State, she played with a broken bone in her wrist.

“I initially hurt it in a basketball game in high school ? it hurt every time I went to bat,” Caoagan said.

Many athletes go through multiple games playing while they are injured, but one can never be too cautious when playing hurt.

Strahan puts the decision of if a player can play solely on the given individual.

“I let the athlete make the call with recommendation from the trainer ? depending on the injury,” Strahan said.

The longer an athlete has been a part of sports, the better knowledge of how one can push oneself is.

“I think at (the collegiate level), most of the athletes have learned proper techniques and know what their bodies are capable of doing,” McEuen said.

After a player suffers an injury the road back to recovery and to playing begins with rehab.

“The best advice is to treat rehab like practice and have short- and long-term goals that are set for an athlete,” McEuen said.

Knowing when, and if, it’s safe to return to game activity is a decision that can help prevent future injuries.

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Contact Jose Martinez in the

Sports department at (916) 278-5145