Archive for December, 2020

Team unity was Jordan Woolverton’s focus as Durango claimed the 3A football title

Paul Shepardson / Paul Shepardson Photography

Jordan Woolverton knew Durango had something special brewing heading into the 2020 football season.

Just a year earlier, the Demons looked poised to make a run to the Class 3A state title game before falling short against Pueblo South. That loss provided a mental spark for the team, specifically quarterback Jordan Woolverton.

Once Durango hit the field, the team looked nearly unstoppable as it accomplished a major goal in winning the 3A state title — the first state football crown since 1954 and the first outright state title in program history — and along the way, Woolverton was named the 3A player of the year.

Simply having the goal of winning a state title wasn’t enough for the Demons to achieve it. In order to get there, they had to focus on the smaller, more specialized goals that would ultimately serve as the fuel behind the championship run in 2020.

“A state championship is always the goal,” Woolverton said. “But the goals behind that goal were all about coming together as a team and playing together and holding each other accountable.”

The Demons were slated to open the season against Pueblo South, the very team that eliminated them from the 2019 playoffs, but COVID-19 had other plans. Durango was forced to wait a week before making its 2020 debut. A trip to Colorado Springs and a 64-0 win over Mitchell certainly got the attention of plenty of teams from around the state.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

But Woolverton doesn’t think the Demons were legitimately viewed as a threat until the next week when they beat Pueblo County 49-21. Oddly enough, it was a game in which Woolverton missed the entire second half because of an injured shoulder which might’ve shown just how much Durango was operating as a full team.

“A lot of people had us losing that game to Pueblo County,” Woolverton said. “That didn’t sit well with us because we knew what we could do. After we won that one, that opened people’s eyes.”

They closed that out then won their final three regular season games by two scores each. In fact, the Demons finished each game comfortably going through the playoffs and all the way to the state title game against Roosevelt.

Woolverton found Gage Mestas for a wide-open touchdown throw in the first quarter to get the Durango scoring effort going.

“They wanted to stop the run,” Durango coach David Vogt said after the Demons won the title. “To win the game we had to make some deep catches. I’m glad we did that.”

A big touchdown run from Ben Finneseth ripped off a long touchdown run to tie the game and then Woolverton saved his best throw for a big moment. He found Mestas again for a big touchdown throw to put Durango ahead for good. Woolverton looked right at home on the biggest stage of his high school football career.

“I feel like I’ve been playing on big stages my whole life,” he said. “I wasn’t too anxious about playing on a big stage, I think I just kept going with the (flow) of the game.”

Durango hoisted the championship trophy and the 2020 team secured a permanent place in the program’s legacy. But Woolverton refuses to allow praise to go to anyone else other than the full roster.

“It was a full team effort,” Woolverton said. “Those five guys up front were the center of our team this year. They got us to where we were and got us those big wins. They were the piece of the team that came together the most. When people talk about our team in the future, I hope they talk about those five guys up front and our team as a whole.”

Holy Family Durango football

(Brad Cochi)

As a football player, Brady Kuntz was raised by the Fleming Wildcats

Stratton/Liberty Fleming football

(Ismael Gomez)

Ever since he was little, Brady Kuntz has been running around the Fleming football program. When his older brother was playing for the Wildcats, Kuntz served as the water boy for the team which would earn him the nickname “Liquid.”

Years later, he became crucial to the team as a standout player on two state championship teams. Kuntz wasn’t raised by a pack of wolves, but he was accepted at a young age by a destruction of Wildcats. And they taught him to be destructive.

A defensive player at his core, Kuntz helped the Wildcats claim a second straight 6-man football title and won the classification’s player of the year in the process. When thinking back to August, the thought of either achievements coming to fruition seemed far-fetched.

“I knew we were going to be good,” Kuntz said. “It just shocked me how good of a team we were. And being the MVP of 6-man, that surprises me a lot.”

Maybe it shouldn’t. Fleming felt like it went into the 2020 season a bit under the radar. After the Wildcats beat Stratton/Liberty to claim the 6-man title, several seniors moved on from the program and the Wildcats felt as though no one believed they could win state again.

But if Kuntz’s energy on the field could be seen by everyone in the state, it would be no surprise to see the Wildcats once again perform at that championship level. It had been something Kuntz had been dreaming of since slinging around liquid for the varsity players as a kid.

“He’s been around (the program) for so long,” Fleming coach John King said. “He’s been such a big part of this for all these years.”

Stratton/Liberty Fleming football

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

Kuntz was a vital part of the Widlcats offense as he led the team with 293 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. But his heart is always on the defensive side of the ball and that’s where his true ability on the field tends to show.

He totaled 88 tackles and led the team with six sacks on the year. With just six players on the field, that production tends to come from a middle linebacker but Kuntz did it from the defensive line.

“I like to do the hitting,” Kuntz said. “We’ve had a great middle linebacker (Chris Goss) the last two years and it came down to him and me for the best defensive player on the team.”

Offensively, Kuntz had normally played the running back position but was kept primarily on the defensive side of the ball in 2019. He was back on offense this year, but as an offensive lineman.

“I guess I surprised everyone with how well I can catch,” Kuntz said.

It all came down to what King knew he could do with his standout senior. Having known the kid for nearly a decade, King had every bit of confidence that he would succeed in any situation in which he could make an impact.

And Kuntz proved him right. And by doing so, he made the 2020 season one that will be memorable not just for the coach or the community, but for the players and for the rest of their lives.

“Everyone is going to remember this year,” King said. “This has been an extremely bright spot in a year that has had very few positive moments for anybody.”

For a kid that went from slinging water to catching touchdown passes and making big plays on defense, the memories will stick around the program forever.

Stratton/Liberty Fleming football

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

Cherry Creek’s Myles Purchase displayed some of the best football ability in the state

Cherry Creek Valor Christian football

(Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)

Myles Purchase didn’t see the offensive side of the ball until the final two games of the season. It seems like a silly notion, ridiculous even, that someone with the talent level of Purchase was contained to one side of the ball.

But the thing is, he was really good at what he did. Purchase grew up loving the game and played running back all the way through his freshman year. But as a sophomore, when he made his way onto the Cherry Creek varsity roster, his focused shifted to defense.

Three seasons later, Purchase ended his career as a two-time Class 5A state champion and the 2020 5A player of the year. That path began when the 2018 season began and purchase was lined up at cornerback.

“In the summer going into my sophomore year I started transitioning into a defensive back,” Purchase said. “I started talking to the defensive coordinator about playing corner and I ended up starting my first varsity game as a corner in my sophomore year.”

It didn’t take long for him to get noticed. He ended the season picking off six passes, three of which came in a playoff win over Ralston Valley.

He became more of a threat in his junior year when he recorded four pick-sixes. Not only was he creating turnovers, he was directly turning them into points. At that point he also started contributing on the offensive side of the ball as he rushed for 125 yards and three touchdown through the course of the season.

“There are some really good football players in the state, but I think Myles Purchase is the best all-around football player in the state of Colorado,” Cherry Creek coach Dave Logan said prior to the state championship game. “I’ve coached him for four years and there’s not a lot that he can’t do.”

Valor Christian Cherry Creek football

(PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

Purchase scored the first two touchdowns for Cherry Creek in the 21-0 win over Valor Christian. He rushed for 153 yards, showing the full depth of his versatility on the football field.

“It feels good to be able to make plays on the other side of the ball,” Purchase said.

It’s likely his future coaches at Iowa State were paying attention on that particular day. Despite his level of ability and the fact that in-state coaches were constantly looking at players within the Bruins’ program, Purchase wasn’t a high priority.

His dream going up was to play college football at the University of Colorado where his dad, Brian, was a student-athlete. But he wasn’t getting any attention from Boulder or Fort Collins. Rather than dwelling, he simply moved on with his life.

“They really didn’t take the time to recruit me,” Purchase said. “I had to look past them.”

His excitement about playing at Iowa State is clear when he talks about his football future. Playing in three state championship games and winning two of them was a big boost to his his resumé, but he still feels he has so much to prove at the next level.

“Anyone in the world would want to be in my position, to prove people wrong, and make big time plays in a big time conference” he said. “I just can’t wait to put my skill set on showcase in Ames. It’s a big opportunity and I can’t wait to get out there.”

Cherry Creek Pomona football

(Theodore Stark/tstark.com)

Kory Tacha holds a special place in Limon’s deep football history

Limon Strasburg football

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

When Kory Tacha was a kid, he spent time watching the Limon Badgers rattle off three straight Class 1A football titles.

He was born in Limon and the local high school team played a big part in developing his love of the game. All these years later, he paid the program back and leaves his own chapter in a rich football history.

He played a crucial role in the Badgers claiming three straight titles — they he watched them do it as a kid — and for the second straight year, his efforts earned him 1A player of the year honors.

Not bad considering that he and his teammates spent a good chunk of 2020 wondering if they would even get on the football field at all. The championship win and the postseason honors just felt different this year than they did before.

“This year was probably the most special since it was my senior year and we went through all the stuff we did with basketball (ending early) and missing out on baseball and track,” Tacha said. “Finally getting back to a little bit of normalcy, start playing again and then being able to do something with the opportunity; it was more special to win this year than the last two.”

Tacha was very on-brand with his play this season. He didn’t lead the Badgers in rushing yards at 740, that honor belonged to Jeremiah Leeper with 839. But he did lead the team in rushing touchdowns, including the first touchdown in Limon’s 28-0 win over Strasburg in the 1A state title game.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Numbers are certainly one thing, but what made Tacha so valuable this year was his steady demeanor, even in the most adverse times.

“The thing that I think he brings is that quiet calmness or confidence, however you want to say it,” coach Mike O’Dwyer said. “As long as we can go out there and be on the field, he’d say that we’re going to be ok.”

That comes from taking the things O’Dwyer has told him to heart. The Badgers were hit with a team quarantine because of a COVID-19 related issue with two weeks remaining in the season. That meant that their next game on the docket was the first round of the playoffs where shaking off rust isn’t an option.

The team had to be ready to go after two weeks of no practice and no play.

“Coach always told us to control our controlables and everything else will take care of itself,” Tacha said. “That was something we couldn’t really control.”

But they got through it. Tacha rushed for 63 yards in the first-round win over Holyoke. He scored a rushing and receiving touchdown to help the set the tone.

Leeper led the way against Wray but it was Tacha who got the Badgers off to a fast start against Strasburg. He broke for a 77-yard touchdown and Limon never looked back.

Two hours later, the Badgers were holding up their third consecutive state title and state record 20th overall. And perhaps there was a kid watching that moment and dreaming of the day where he, like Tacha, can help lead his hometown team to another historic run.

“I hope we leave a big legacy,” Tacha said. “I grew up in Limon and when we went on our run in 2003, 2004 and 2005, I looked up to those guys and now (some) are my coaches. I’ve looked up to them ever since I was little.”

(Paul Soriano)

Judy Hildner, former prep sports editor in Pueblo and CHSAA Hall of Famer, passes away

It is with great sadness that the Colorado High School Activities Association pays its respect to a long-time contributor to the high school prep scene. The office was informed earlier today that long-time champion of prep sports, Judy Hildner lost her battle with pancreatic cancer.

At the time of her induction into the CHSAA Hall of Fame in 2016, Judy was the reigning matriarch of Colorado media, and was held in held in the highest esteem throughout the state.

“Judy was one of the pioneers that opened the door to women, in the prep journalism space. She promoted the purpose and positivity of high school athletics and activities with truth. She was the trusted voice in southern Colorado for many years, to share the high school stories and events. Her legacy lives through the many young female prep reporters and she will be missed,” CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said upon news of Hildner’s passing.

She covered all levels of sports, including Super Bowls and NCAA Tournaments but the high school arena was the heart of her coverage area and where so many stories were waiting to be told. She was one of the most knowledgeable media persons in the state and had oversight on one of the country’s finest newspapers with its coverage of southern and southeastern Colorado, along with the San Luis Valley.

She is considered to be the state’s first-ever female sports editor, serving in that capacity from 1990-2012. She ended her 34-year media career in 2012 with The Pueblo Chieftain the paper where she started before she graduated from high school. She began her career keeping stats and then calling them into the newspaper.

A founding member of the CHSAA Hall of Fame committee, she is a member of the Greater Pueblo Sports Hall of Fame and has been honored many times for her work with high schools. In her eyes, one could never do too much for prep sports.

Hildner was a member of, and had chaired the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee, and was a two-time member of the CHSAA Hall of Fame selection committee and had served on the Pueblo School #60 District Strategic Planning Committee and others.

Services are pending.

Sanford football’s Kelton Gartrell flourishes by simply doing his job

Sedgwick County Sanford football

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

Sometimes, the most amazing feats can results in just a few simple actions. That’s how Sanford’s Kelton Gartrell explains the staggering numbers he put up in 2020.

Gartrell averaged over 165 rushing yards per game, but more impressively he averaged 10.4 yards per carry. If he touched the ball, there was a good chance that Sanford was getting a first down.

At season’s end, Gartrell was voted the 8-man player of the year. He and his teammates advanced to the state championship game before losing to Sedgwick County. But Gartell shined in his time at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl.

He ran for 207 yards and four touchdowns and did so by trusting his teammates just as they trusted him.

“It’s easy for for me to play hard for them,” Gartrell said. “I’ve been playing football with them for a long time. They’re my teammates and my best friends. If they can just block that one person, I’ll do the rest. If they can do their part, I can do mine.”

Gartrell ran for more than 200 yards three times in 2020. He got everyone’s attention in the state championship game by breaking a pair of long touchdown runs that gave Sanford an early edge over Sedgwick County, a team that has been nothing short of dominant for the last six seasons.

“Sedgwick County has a bunch of athletes that are big, strong and fast,” Sanford coach Joe Cary said. “That just went to prove what kind of athlete Kelton is, that he can break loose and get over 200 yards on a team like that. It speaks levels of what he’s capable of doing.”

Sedgwick County Sanford football

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

The jump from Gartrell’s sophomore season to his junior season in numbers came in big part thanks to his work ethic in the offseason. He made sure to hit a solid weightlifting program and took advantage of every opportunity to get better.

The results showed once the season started in early October and Gartrell was able to perform his role on the field.

“I worked really hard this offseason, pumping iron there at the start of the summer,” Gartrell said. “The difference between my sophomore and junior years was insane. I’m hoping to stick with the same program and see the same benefit from this year to next year.”

And it didn’t take long for next year to enter into his mind. When the all-state teams were announced last week, Cary lobbed Gartrell a phone call to congratulate him on player of the year honors, but reminded him that there is still work to be done for 2021. Gartrell was way ahead of his coach.

“I said don’t be content with what you’ve done this year because you have to work twice as hard to be as good next year,” Cary said. “He said ‘Coach, you know I will.’ The mindset the kid has about being better and not being content with what he’s done is unreal.”

What makes him all the better is when Gartrell eyes his goals for next year and they’re not focused on individual accolades.

The taste of getting to the state title game was so good that Gartrell is aiming to get his team right back there and come away with a much better result than this year.

“I still need a ring,” he said. “The ring is what I’m chasing next year. Hopefully I can be the player of the year again, but if I don’t and I get a ring, I’m good with that. Winning a state championship is the goal now.”

To accomplish that goal, he’ll focus on doing his job while allowing his teammates to do theirs.

Sedgwick County Sanford football

(Ismael Gomez)

The unpredictability of Lamar football’s Zane Rankin led to his success

Eaton Lamar football

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

Zane Rankin makes watching football fun. The Lamar quarterback was one of the most highlight worthy players on the field during the weekend in which all seven state football championship games were contested at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl at CSU-Pueblo.

This season, he has shown to be a special player in all of Class 2A. His ability to improvise and somehow come away with a positive result led Lamar to the 2A state championship game. It had been 57 years since Lamar had last played for a football tile.

And Rankin was a big part of the reason they played for the title and even had a shot at winning it. For that effort, he was named the 2A player of the year.

More of a gunslinger than a traditional quarterback, Rankin’s biggest strength is ability to escape bad situations, even if it gives the Lamar coaching staff a scare in the process.

“There have been a lot of times where I’ll snap the ball and run to one side of the field and turn backwards and run 10 more yards to the other side of the field and throw the ball away or finally get up field,” Rankin said. “You can just tell all those guys are over there holding their breath, hoping I don’t get hit for a 20-yard loss.”

The crazy thing is that even if that were to happen, Rankin might be one of the most mentally tough players in the entire state, regardless of classification.

Elizabeth Lamar football

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

That was evident all the way back in a Week 1 win over Elizabeth. Rankin didn’t overly thrive in the passing game, going just 8-for-17 for 164 yards and a touchdown. He also threw three interceptions.

But at no point did he seem phased. He broke the huddle with the same energy all night and fully expected to deliver a positive result on each snap that he took.

“He has a true gunslinger mentality when you think about NFL quarterbacks and quarterbacks that just go out there and live in the moment,” coach Jason Tice said. “They don’t dwell in the past. They just focus on making a big play on the next play.”

He battles. It’s something that’s ingrained in him and it’s not exclusive to football. Rankin claimed the 3A 132-pound wrestling state title in 2018 and 2019 and when football season began this year, he began playing both sides of the ball.

“That was the first time in his career he had to play full-time both ways and a lot of special teams,” Tice said. “The physical exhaustion that he and some of his teammates would experience, I think being a quarterback and being that exhausted was a big challenge for him. But he’s been there before.”

Just being there before isn’t enough. His whole style of competition is about having been there and learning to turn adversity into success when things aren’t going his way.

“Things aren’t always going to go your way,” Rankin said. “There’s always going to be that adversity and it’s how you choose to handle that adversity and what you do with that whether you break down and quit or keep going. That’s something I’ve always tried to do.”

He tries on a single football play, through the course of a full game or wrestling match, or just in life as he and his friends have tried to navigate the trickiness of a COVID-19 fueled year. It’s how he got Lamar into the state title game and it’s how he’ll attack the rest of his life from here on out. And it’s going to be a fun ride.

Eaton Lamar football

(PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

CHSAA secures variances from CDPHE and state officials for Season B

Following multiple meetings in the past week, including this weekend, CHSAA has secured variances from CDPHE and state officials which will allow all Season B sports and activities to begin practice on Jan. 18.

The following sports have been approved to start practice on Jan. 18: Ice hockey, skiing, girls swimming, wrestling, basketball, and competitive spirit. The approved calendar will be revised to begin competition on Jan. 25.

Originally, Season B was proposed to begin on Feb. 1. Through collaborative negotiations, the Jan. 18 start date aligns with Gov. Jared Polis’ announcement to prioritize in-person or hybrid learning models.

“For months, our office has been laser-focused on students and the safe resumption of high school sports and activities in 2021,” said CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green. “The conversations with CDPHE and the Governor’s COVID Response Team to resume Season B sports have been intentional and assertive. Though it has taken many late nights and weekends, we are thrilled that our student-athletes, member schools and local school communities have a resolution. Educationally-based athletics are a vital extension of the classroom.”

The CHSAA administrative staff has planned a series of virtual meetings for athletic directors and coaches to provide details on the implementation of each sport. These meetings will begin on Jan. 4.

Under the current dial levels, CHSAA-sponsored events could not be conducted due to public health restrictions at the state level that limited the number of athletes to practice or compete in a facility. For example, the current guidelines only allow basketball to have 10 total individuals (including coaches, athletes, trainers, etc.) in a gym.

Therefore, variance approval from CDPHE and state officials were critical to begin any sport or activity. For example, the basketball variance will permit teams to have 24 players total, as well as coaches and trainers.

Approval of these variances allows for statewide consistency and sustainability of competition when diverse local health interpretations could restrict member participation regionally.

“We’re all in this together,” Blanford-Green said. “Our state officials, especially CDPHE, have a responsibility to prioritize student safety. We appreciate their support and advocacy for resuming athletics and activities for the state of Colorado in 2021.”

Size didn’t stop Loveland football’s Zack Rakowsky from packing a punch

Loveland Palmer Ridge football

(PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

Loveland running back Zack Rakowsky doesn’t fit the stereotypical build of a standout football player.

His measurables according to the team’s roster on MaxPreps has him listed at 5-foot-10 and weighing 150 pounds.

Rakowsky isn’t a physically imposing kid — at least until it’s game time. He shined for Loveland all year, eventually taking Class 4A player of the year honors. And when watching him on the field, it’s clear that he’s example No. 1 that it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the dog.

“What most people don’t realize is how well he runs the ball inside the tackles,” Loveland coach Jeff Mauck said. “He initiates contact. Even though he has a small frame, some people just pack punch or a thud when they hit, he initiates contact and takes it to the defensive player.”

Opposing defenses aren’t dealing with a scat back who works well in open space when Rakowsky gets the ball. His physicality ranks up there with any large-frame back in the state. Combined with his competitiveness and overall toughness, Rakowsky was one of several factors that led to Loveland’s 42-6 win over Palmer Ridge in the 4A state championship game.

Loveland’s goal was simple on the very first drive: establish the tone and run as many plays as possible to try and get a gauge on how the Bears were going to attack defensively. Eighteen plays and two 4th-down conversions later, Loveland had a 7-0 lead and never looked back.

“After we scored the touchdown I remember looking over at their defense and they had no idea what just happened,” Rakowsky said. “They were exhausted and really frustrated. After that (first) touchdown, I was very confident that it was going to end in our favor.”

Rakowsky ended the night rushing for 169 yards and three touchdowns. He also picked off two passes to help on the defensive side of the ball.

He erased any doubt that size in his case mattered in how he plays the game. His mindset on how he approaches the game has been far more vital to his success at Loveland it will be every bit as vital to his success at the college level.

(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“I’ve been around sports a lot in my life and it causes everything in my life to be competitive,” Rakowsky said. “I think that drive that gets you to want to win; there’s nothing like it.”

And he wants to win.

It was clear in the regular season finale, a de facto win-or-go-home game against Skyline, that he wasn’t ready for his season to be over.

That translated directly into the playoffs where he rushed for at least 180 yards against both Broomfield and top-seeded Dakota Ridge. Heading into the state championship showdown with Palmer Ridge, Mauck was comfortable singing Rakowsky’s praises to anyone who would listen.

“I told everybody and I told (the staff at) CSU-Pueblo that he would be the best player on the field,” Mauck said. “He has a giant chip on his shoulder and he’s going to prove to everyone what he can do. He’s electric.”

When it comes to electricity, Rakowsky may look like just a spark. But he’ll provide a jolt that opposing players will feel long after the game has ended.

(PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

Mental Health Monday – December

Call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available to everyone. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY by dialing 711 then 1-800-273-8255. All calls are confidential. Dial 911 in an emergency.

Learn more on the NSPL’s website.

SYMPTOMS

All individuals may not exhibit every symptom
These symptoms may indicate depression, particularly when lasting for more than two weeks:

• Poor performance in school
• Withdrawal from friends and activities
• Sadness and hopelessness
• Lack of enthusiasm, energy or motivation
• Loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy
• Anger and rage
• Overreaction to criticism
• Feelings of being unable to satisfy ideals
• Poor self-esteem or guilt
• Indecision, lack of concentration or forgetfulness
• Restlessness or agitation
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
• Substance abuse
• Sexual promiscuity
• Risk-taking behaviors
• Problems with authority
• Suicidal thoughts or actions

TEEN SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS

• Suicide threats (direct and indirect)
• Obsession with death
• Poems, essays or drawings that refer to death
• Giving away belongings
• A sense of “hopelessness” and/or no
future vision
• Dramatic change in personality or appearance
• Irrational, bizarre behavior
• Overwhelming sense of guilt, shame or rejection
• Significantly changed eating patterns (including drastic weight gains or losses)
• Significantly changed sleeping patterns (especially contributing to school truancy)
• Severe drop in school performance or social interest

ANGER MANAGEMENT

This year has been like no other for students, athletes, coaches and parents. The many changes to school and athletics can understandably set off different emotions, including anger. Anger is a normal emotion which can range from mild irritability to rage. It can be caused by both external and internal events. You could be angry at a person (parent, coach, sibling), a situation (not getting to play in a game) or it could be caused by worry about personal problems. Anger can be a helpful emotion; it can give you a way to express negative feelings or motivate you to find solutions to problems. But excessive anger can cause problems, including difficulties with thinking, worsening performance and physical/mental health consequences. Here are a few tips to help with anger:

  1. Be assertive: Learn how to make clear what your needs are, and how to get them met, without hurting others.  Being assertive doesn’t mean being pushy or demanding; it means being respectful of yourself and others.
  2. Be calm: Try a relaxation breath. STOP, breathe and then decide on your next step.
  3. Use the AIMS app to learn tools such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, thought stopping and time out.

If your child, teen or athlete appear to be struggling with symptoms of anger, stress, depression or anxiety, let them you know you are there to support them. Scheduling an appointment with their pediatrician or family doctor can be an important step to getting them the help they need. Students can also reach out to the Colorado Crisis Line and text or talk with a professional. Text “Talk” to 38255 or call 1-844-493-8255.

Information provided by:
Alex J. Reed, PsyD, MPH
Assistant Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine

RESOURCES

Suicide and Mental Health Resources in your area of the state

APA – Anger

AIMS for Anger Management (App)

For more Mental Health Information, please click HERE.