What parents should know about youth sports injury risks: How to win at youth sports, from WKYC

Many young athletes grow up dreaming of going pro, but the path to the top of sports is riddled with challenges.

One of the most daunting obstacles for young athletes to overcome is also one of the most common: injuries.

Luke Costello, an incoming freshman baseball player at Wake Forest University, suffered an ACL tear while a high schooler at Cathedral Prep in Erie, Pennsylvania. He and his family traveled to Ohio to visit University Hospitals to seek expert care and treatment.

“We knew that he was the Browns team doctor, and I mean, he did Nick Chubb’s surgery, he has such a good track record, he’s the knee specialist,” Costello told WKYC.

Now, as Luke heads south to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he says he’s “close to 100% back.” His physical therapists at UH have already shared his rehabilitation and training plan with WFU’s athletic trainers to help Costello continue his comeback from ACL surgery.

Learn more about Costello’s comeback journey and the risk of youth sports injuries at WKYC’s website.

In our partnership with WKYC called “How to win at youth sports (without going broke or breaking down),” we talked to experts, coaches and families about the current landscape and what we can do better to develop healthy, well-adjusted players.