Oct. 21, 2026

On game day, most of us only see what happens once the clock starts: the warmup, competition, cheering from the sidelines and, hopefully, a well-earned celebration. What we don’t always see is everything happening behind the scenes to help Ke Kula ʻo Kamehameha athletes step onto the field or court ready to play and recover safely afterward.

For Kamehameha Schools Kapālama athletic trainer Gasandria Jenkins and her team, that work starts hours before the big game. For a 7 p.m. football game, for example, the athletic training team may arrive after noon to begin preparing hydration coolers, injury ice, treatment tables and emergency equipment. From splints and crutches to an AED and an immersion tub for heat-related illness, the team prepares for what athletes may need and what they hope never happens.

Before competition, athletic trainers, security and other designated personnel also conduct a medical timeout to affirm everyone’s kuleana should an emergency occur.

“We have to anticipate,” Jenkins said. “The goal is to reduce chaos and confusion if something does happen, so it’s important to go over everybody’s role, communication methods and emergency procedures.”

That preparation offers a good lesson for haumāna, too: A strong game day doesn’t begin at game time.

Before the game

One of the biggest things Jenkins wishes young athletes would pay more attention to is also one of the simplest: rest.

Student-athletes are often eager to give everything they have at practice, going “pedal to the metal” because they want their teammates and coaches to know they are committed. But constantly pushing without giving the body time to recover can take a toll.

“They’re just so stressed out about the game that that’s all they can think about,” Jenkins said. “Get the sleep that you need so that you’re well rested and prepared for the day ahead.”

Her advice is practical: start winding down before bedtime by putting the phone away for an hour or two, so your body has a chance to settle.

Game-day preparation also means following the plan created for your body. Athletes who are already working with an athletic trainer may have specific treatment, stretching, rehabilitation, taping or warmup routines before competition. Jenkins said the goal is to have consistent care by having students check in regularly with the athletic trainer who’s been working with them. And even if that trainer isn’t there, students still check in daily.

“We work as a team,” Jenkins said, “so we make sure athletes continue to get the care they need.”

Even if students feel well enough to play, the athletic training team may conduct a functional assessment to see what the athlete can safely do and whether symptoms return.

“We talk a lot about how recovery is important and having discipline as an athlete to know your own limits,” Jenkins said. “We tell them when it’s safe to push, when you got full range of motion and strength is back. If it feels good, then we can do a little bit more every day.”

After the game

When the final whistle blows, the work isn’t done. For ʻōpio, it can be tempting after a late game to shower, scroll on the phone and call it a night. But those first hours are also a time to notice how your body feels and speak up if something isn’t right.

“Get your fuel [food]. Come see us if there’s anything else going on,” Jenkins said. “That way we can provide them with some resources or if they need post-game treatment, icing, compression — whatever it may be.”

Jenkins described the athletic training room as a safe space where students can decompress from the normal stresses of school, sports and the pressure to perform. Recovery, then, isn’t only about sore muscles and injuries. Sometimes, it means eating and sleeping regularly. Sometimes, it means telling someone when something feels off. And sometimes, it means admitting that you’re carrying more stress than usual.

Because game-day readiness is mental and emotional, too.

“If they feel that pressure to perform or they’re not doing their best, we like them to feel safe enough to talk to us about that,” Jenkins said. “I think that’s that sort of connection that really makes a difference when it comes to helping them return to sport and back to the level that they want to be at.”

ʻOhana play a part, too

ʻOhana have a key role in recovery and it may be simpler than we think. Jenkins, who is also a parent, encourages families not to make every conversation about the sport.

“Check in on your kid, see how they’re doing other than how they’re doing in their sport,” 
Jenkins said. “It doesn’t have to take a lot, right? Just ‘how’s your day going?’”

That might mean making sure they have enough to eat during a busy day, noticing when they seem exhausted or simply creating space for them to talk. The check-in doesn’t have to be elaborate. Sit down for a meal together. Make a phone call when schedules keep you apart. Ask how they are feeling instead of asking about the score.

For Jenkins, that connection is a big part of why she does this work. After several years in an orthopedic sports medicine setting, the former student-athlete from Waialua found herself drawn back to high school athletics because of the pilina built with students.

At Kapālama, she gets to know haumāna beyond an injury — talking story, hearing how their day went and creating a space where they feel comfortable speaking up.

“Our priority is the kids’ safety,” Jenkins said. “We’re here for them, and we help them through that [injury]. Just being able to help in that capacity drives me to come in every day.”

At Ke Kula ʻo Kamehameha, the safety and well-being of our haumāna is a shared kuleana. From the preparation that happens before the game to the recovery and connection that follow, we all have a role in helping haumāna feel safe, supported and ready for the next play.