Last month the college basketball world witnessed Kevin Ware of the Louisville’s men basketball team experience a potentially career ending injury.

With 6:33 remaining in the first half of the NCAA tournament game, a player from the opposite team went up for the three point shot. Guarding the opponent, Ware jumped in the air for the block. On the way down Ware’s right leg snapped and his bone protruded from his leg.

This incident stunned many and opened the eyes of younger athletes, specifically at Ritenour. Ware’s injury may prevent him from being able to play college basketball ever again and may have also ruined his chances of playing professional basketball.

Many college athletes are looking forward to playing professional basketball, where they would be getting paid for playing the game they loved. This injury has now gotten in the way of Ware’s dreams and unlike professional basketball players, Ware is not making money to play a sport where he risks his health.

Just like Ware, high school students risk their livelihood every day participating in contact sports. High school sports are meant for students to experience being on a team, learning how to better themselves, and to play the game they love; not to injure themselves and find a roadblock from what they would like to accomplish in life.

Junior Noah Riffee has encountered numerous injuries participating in sports that he thought he could turn into a career. Playing hockey and football, Riffee has experienced four concussions in the last sixteen months.

“I suffered from amnesia, and my temple was swollen,” Riffee said.

Riffee planned to play college football and due to his injuries, that is not possible. Also, because of the incidents, having many future jobs are out of the question.

“I can’t ever play a contact sport, no construction job, and my learning process is a lot slower than normal,” Riffee said.

Riffee’s education has been greatly affected by the injuries. His learning is nowhere near the same as it use to be. Riffee has missed approximately two months of school and contemplated being homeschooled.

“I only take three classes a day and I can’t do basic math,” Riffee said.

Riffee plans on graduating with his class in 2014, but to do so he has to attend night and summer school because his extended periods of absence have left him behind.

Junior Stephanie Sontag has also encountered injuries from playing sports. As she transitioned from basketball to volleyball, Sontag suffered a back injury where her back popped in and out of place after running or getting hit.

After Sontag’s back injury was close to being completely healed, she played in a varsity basketball game where her knee gave out on her.

“I have a partially torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), and a sprained LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament),” Sontag said.

With her knee injury, Sontag was prevented from playing half of her basketball season. Also, she missed all of club volleyball.

Sontag had planned to play professional volleyball, but because of her injuries, she does not think that is possible. Even though this is the case, she continues to attend all practices and games. Sometimes she is able to participate and other times she is forced to just sit on the sideline and watch.

“I have gotten to where during practices, I have to stop practicing, lay on a table, and crack my own back,” Sontag said.