I arrived tonight in Vancouver, B.C., for the FIFA/CONCACAF Conference on the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany 2011. After looking through my brochure, I'm excited to see that many coaches, instructors and staff from FIFA projects I've worked on previously, and many of my fellow Americans, will be here.

Recently we discussed the importance of deceleration in relation to high performance training and injury prevention. We learned about eccentric strength and the role it plays in reducing momentum. We also made reference to dynamic balance and the importance it plays in maintaining control while performing skillful athletic movements.

This past Sunday, people from across the country and around the world witnessed one of the greatest come-from-behind victories in all of sports. Truly, the United States stole a victory against all odds. What many don't know is the battles these women have overcome away from the field.

USWNT WORLD CUP INJURY FACTS

What percent of the US Women's National Team 2011 FIFA World Cup squad have torn their ACL's and come back after surgery and rehab?

28.5%

Of the 21 players on the US World Cup roster, 6 players have torn their ACL in their pro or college career.

The greater majority of athletes have experienced a sprained ankle at some point in their career. After all, sprained ankles are the most commonly injured joint in athletes accounting for approximately 34% of all injuries and 80% of all injuries in soccer players according to a 2007 study in Sports Medicine.

The nearly six dozen professional and PRO/AM soccer players of the Norfolk SharX and Virginia Beach Piranhas are under the watchful eyes of Sentara Sports Medicine experts during practice and games. The players benefit from the professional expertise of a team of physical therapists, exercise physiologists, certified athletic trainers, registered dieticians, a network of primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, imaging experts and emergency care physicians.

Darren Burgess admits he was thrilled with the condition of the Liverpool players who returned to Melwood following the summer break on Monday.
Each member of the Reds' playing staff was issued a specially-prepared fitness programme to follow over their holidays to ensure they came back to the club's training base in good condition - and the players appeared to be in fine shape as they got their preparations for 2011-12 up and running.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed a new bill into law on June 8, 2011 that now requires all coaches to sideline athletes who show signs of a concussion. Those athletes cannot return to the field until they get clearance by a state licensed MEDICAL health care provider.

I know I promised an article on ankle sprains and it is on the way, but I wanted to share some first-hand experiences relating to sports medicine that I have encountered in the last month or so while coaching my U18G team in Midwest Regional League (MRL). One experience is especially interesting after writing about concussions early this year that you can read here.

Disclaimer: The following is for educational purposes only and every athlete will be a little different. My best advice is to work under the supervision of a reputable professional especially when it comes to age –appropriate strength training. If done right, it is a powerful training tool.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 3.5 million children aged 14 years and younger are treated for sports injuries and nearly half of all injuries sustained by middle school and high school students during sports are overuse injuries.

Part 2 of a 3-Part Series on Youth Injuries.

Olivia Schultz

It's June 2009 and the U17 girls team I am coaching is getting ready for the USYS Midwest Regionals. It's a late summer night and we are in the midst of a friendly with an older team preparing for our trip to South Dakota to play the Region's best just two weeks away.

IMS has been looking for a sports injury and preventions sponsor for sometime. As is the case with all my sponsors, I seek out those that are soccer people and I can form relationships with. I'm very happy to announce that Laurus Rehab will partner with IMS by contributing stories on sport injury and prevention.