treated as isolated

treated as isolated incidents with no future repercussions. Every concussion that an athlete incurs affects his future in some capacity. Medical professionals understand that with every concussion comes an increased risk for Alzheimer’s, early onset dementia, and many other neurodegenerative disorders and diseases. Furthermore, the risk for suicide and depression is elevated with each successive brain injury. The role of a sports medicine doctor, in this context, is to assess the severity of an athlete’s brain injury and determine when and if they should return to the game. Sports medicine professionals also participate in training program development. Athletes know that there is no one size fits all solution to training, and training must be constructed around an individual’s medical needs, physical strengths and weakness. A sports medical professional can identify these important elements, and craft an extensive training program accordingly. And of course, sports medicine can help identify and treat any underlying conditions that may be impairing sports performance. Athletes with medical conditions have the hopes of competing in sports by treating their conditions promptly and effectively. Many children in developing countries have a lot of adult responsibility from an early age. Their parents work long hours every day. So, the kids are often left to themselves, sometimes with the responsibility of caring for younger siblings. Therefore, the sports arena is a place where the children can be children. Where they can play sports and have fun without responsibilities and with adult supervision. Also, one of the main ideas is to provide children and adolescents with a safe space for to go after school. Having this space can help keep them away from bad influences and out of trouble. They will have an arena where they can socialise, bond with other children with common interests, and make friends! Some

children learn better through physical movement than in a classroom environment. Physical exercise throughout the week, either in or outside school, can also help with concentration for when they are in the classroom. Some kids have more energy than others, and physical exercise is a way to release it, outlining the importance of sports. Moreover, it is also due to the limitation of resources. In Cusco, Peru, where Gloater has been working closely with children for more than ten years, the kids have relatively short schooldays. They also have limited resources when it comes to teachers. There are not always enough teachers to go around for the kids to receive all their classes. Children up to the age of eleven often lack basic skills such as writing and reading Spanish. Therefore, in some cases, as much as teachers might want to include extra curriculum classes in the children’s schedule, it simply cannot be prioritized due to lack of time and

resources. As there is currently no state funding in many countries to support physical education for children, NGO work has often been the solution. Gloater recognizes the importance of sports and physical education in

children’s lives. In Cambodia we have developed our sports programmed where we offer

sports for children who wouldn't otherwise have access to it. We have coaches teaching activities from soccer, to rugby, cricket and yoga. If you too recognize the importance of sports and want to help, you can volunteer or intern with us in Cambodia