Traditionally, this is the time of year when athletes’ stamina and conditioning is put to the test. All the hard work they put in during the summer practice sessions has to be harnessed, all those tedious conditioning exercises finally paying off.

A month into the high school season is usually when the injury bugs starts biting. And those injuries can range from a nagging cramp to a severely sprained ankle to something much worse. But luckily we have yet to see any major injuries.

However, there have been a series of minor injuries that have forced coaches to adjust their rosters and take certain precautions to protect their players. So far, every coach seems to have handled each injury correctly, using common sense and giving ample recovery time. In the heat of the moment, rash decisions can be made, but these coaches have put the players’ health first. For that, they deserve credit.

Last week, Washington head soccer coach Jim Kozuch decided to sideline his star senior midfielder, Lupe Barrera, who had taken some hard hits in the last few games. Barrera admitted to knee soreness, ankle pain and fatigue. Even in his play, it was apparent he was not 100 percent.

What should have been a tough decision was an easy one for Kozuch, who realized the player’s health was more important than a couple of nonconference wins.

During Saturday’s Southside-Riverside game in Williamston, Seahawk linebacker Nigel Peele suffered an apparent ankle sprain, a nasty one at that. Instead of having him stand on the sidelines, the coaching staff moved him to the bench, elevated his foot and wrapped it in ice. It was a common sense reaction to an ankle sprain, but in the heat of the moment, even the simplest, most logical injury treatments can be pushed aside.

At Washington, athletic trainer Jeff Mault is responsible for treating players. Whether it’s been chronic and widespread cramping or a knee injury, he’s been there and executed the appropriate action, not only helping the play, but also helping the Pam Pack win football games. He’s one of the most unrecognized, intricate parts of the program.

Mault and the other athletic trainers throughout the county deserve more credit than they receive.