Nick Saban and Alabama football are serious about stopping season-ending injuries and promoting health.
Along with the hirings of David Ballou and Dr. Matt Rhea from Indiana University, the program also invested in a brand new sports science center. In wanting to educate fans on the venue, Jeff Allen (Alabama’s director of sports medicine) will be releasing a series of videos to Twitter — providing a walk through of the place and introducing members of the staff.
On Thursday, the first video was made available as Allen focused on the athletic training room and rehabilitation room.
Bama Sports Science: Episode One
Athletic Training Room and Rehab#BamaFactor #RollTide pic.twitter.com/TYChPYXhp2
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) July 23, 2020
“We are so excited about this area and about this facility,” Allen said. “It just speaks to the commitment of our administration to the welfare of our student-athletes.”
Upon entering the facility, there are signs everywhere that read “Wear your mask.”
Not only are the Crimson Tide practicing social distancing for COVID-19, but it also wants to prevent foot, ankle and lower leg injuries.
The tapping area was the first site Allen discussed.
Every day before workouts and practice, players will get tapped and then be prepared to go.
After getting tapped, the facility has 16 treatment tables. According to Allen, many types of therapeutic modalities that are used on athletes to give them the best care needed.
The best part of the tour was the rehabilitation room with director Jeremy Gsell. Per Allen, who has served on the Crimson Tide’s staff under Saban since 2007, Gsell has been with the team for about 16 years and has done a ‘phenomenal job.’
Gsell said when Alabama designed the place, it wanted to have a spot that ranges from the most basic rehab to most aggressive rehab — in terms of getting players back on the field. The first thing Gsell spoke on in promoting functional exercises was the slip resistant floor.
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“We wanted to have a place where we could do the most basic exercises,” Gsell said. “We did not want to go to different places to do the same exercises. We do everything in this room. We do a lot of straight line exercises and change of direction exercises. We incorporated a ladder we could use to do change of direction exercises without having a piece that you could step on and roll your ankle.”
One of Gsell’s biggest tricks to get players through the rehab is jump measurements.
“The biggest component to getting guys back from rehab is to measure right to left symmetry and jump test,” he said. “We wanted to be able to have a fast, efficient way to do everything in one place and that’s how we designed the floor.”
Alabama will be releasing more videos through its Twitter page, but the sports performance department has something that will be very good for years to come.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
