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COUGARS ON THE FIELD: Alumnus pursues baseball career following award-filled season DAMIAN MORRIS multimedia editor Alum Jake Bockenstedt is seeking a professional baseball career following a highly successful final college season, earning both Ohio Valley Conference and national honors. Bockenstedt, a pitcher from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said that since graduating he has been preparing for the Major League Baseball drafts that will take place July 9-11. “For me, it’s [about] being regimented,” Bockenstedt said. “Just because we don’t have a season right now doesn’t mean we necessarily take off. I’m still working out five or six times a week and making sure I’m doing everything I can to have myself ready by the time the draft comes around.” He said as part of this regimen, he’s also been having workout sessions with major league teams, where he showcases his abilities in front of national cross checkers and other scouts. “It can be a little nerve-wracking … so you’re obviously wanting your best performance, but at the same time, you got to realize it’s still the same game that you’ve been playing since you were a kid,” Bockenstedt said. “That’s been my approach to it — just go out, have fun with it, don’t get your nerves
too worked up.” He said if he doesn’t make the drafts this year, his backup plan is to play in the second half of the draft league — an independent league in the northeast. During his final season playing at SIUE, Bockenstedt earned Ohio Valley Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week four times. This award is selected by the sports information directors in the league, who determine the most outstanding performance of the week. Three of these were awarded back-toback in the early season and the fourth at the end, which Bockenstedt said was an awesome way to finish out his college baseball career. “I’ve grown so much as a player in the last three years,” Bockenstedt said. “I’m glad not only my coaches see it, but people around the OVC see it.” Bockenstedt was also the second ever SIUE player to earn a spot as one of the Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of the Week. However, he said while he’s happy to be recognized, he attributes these awards as much to his team as himself. “It shows the hard work that I’ve put in and how it’s paying out, and it’s also a tribute to the teammates around me and how it’s not just a one
man thing,” Bockenstedt said. “It truly takes a village. We’re all working together every day for everybody to get that much better, and that doesn’t happen without a defense.” According to Head Coach Sean Lyons, said the team attributed just as much of their success to him as well. “Jake was our workhorse,” Lyons said. “He was the guy that we knew every week was going to take the baseball one time a weekend. The guys had a ton of confidence playing behind him and had a belief he was going to have a strong start every time he went out.” Lyons said Bockenstedt was a leader by example during practices as well. “He was a leader amongst the pitching staff,” Lyons said. “Jake’s a very internal type of guy, but he showed up early and was very diligent in the work and process to making sure that he left no stone unturned to help himself get the max out of what he was able to do.” Bockenstedt said the productiveness of their practices came from having specific goals set for each individual at every practice. “There’s a goal every day in which we want to get better at some sort of aspect of the game,” Bockenstedt said. “Everybody on the team had to hone
Jake Bockenstedt pitches to Tennessee Tech at a May 24 game in Marion, Illinois. | Jahmil Taylor / OVC in and really focus on getting better at one thing every single day. It’s not just showing up to the park and going through the motions. Everybody has a motive for the day, and everybody’s trying to get better to achieve a goal at the end of the year.” Lyons said he was glad to see Bockenstedt have such an ac-
complished college career and is looking forward to seeing more come from him in his future career as well. “It was a great way to have a senior year, winning that award four times, and he’s definitely going to be missed,” Lyons said. “We wish him the best of luck in his pursuit of playing beyond college.”
Ready to run: What are some signs of overtraining? MAYO CLINIC STAFF (TNS) Mayo Clinic News Network We’re surrounded by warning signs on roads, at work and on packaging and equipment. Your body sends warning signs too. As your race date nears, it’s tempting to pull out all the stops in your training. That makes this a prime time to watch for warning signs of overtraining. Overtraining or overuse injuries are any muscle or joint injuries, such as tendonitis or a stress fracture, that result from repetitive trauma. Overuse injuries typically occur because of training or technique errors. Runners are tenacious athletes. When you dramatically increase your training intensity, don’t ignore your body’s warning signs. Pulling back and slowing down may be tough. While some overtraining issues can be resolved with simple rest, others may evolve into more significant problems.
How overtraining, injuries occur
overuse
Going too fast, exercising
for too long or simply doing too much of one type of activity can strain your muscles and lead to an overuse injury. Improper technique also takes a toll on your body. For example, if you use poor form while running or doing strength training exercises, you may overload certain muscles and cause an overuse injury. Thankfully, most overuse injuries are avoidable. Try these suggestions to prevent them: Use proper form and gear. Whether you’re starting a new activity or have been playing a sport for a long time, taking lessons can help ensure you’re using the correct technique. Talk with an expert about proper form, equipment and gear fit to help ensure success. Pace yourself. Rely on your training program, which should be spreading your aerobic activity throughout the week. Take time to warm up before physical activity and cool down afterward. Gradually increase your activity level. When changing the intensity or duration of physical activity, do so gradually. Try not
to increase anything by more than about 10 percent per week. Your body needs time to adapt to the new stress. Mix up your routine. Instead of focusing on one type of exercise, build variety into your training program. Doing a variety of low-impact activities prevents overuse injuries by allowing your body to use different muscle groups.
Overtraining signs and what to do
It can be hard to know when you’re pushing through your training for continuous improvement and when you’re moving into overtraining. Focusing on your diet, hydration and sleep can help you figure out what your body is telling you. If you don’t recover after two to three days of little or no activity, it may be time to look further. Your feet and legs take a pounding as you run mile after mile, so watch for these issues: Callous blistering and broken toenails are common overtraining problems. Early morning pain on the sole of your foot can be a sign of
plantar fasciitis. Tendonitis can leave you with pain in the back of your ankle or in the front of your shins, also called shin splints. These typically can be treated with rest and medication to relieve pain and inflammation. Slow down your training. Return to the level you were at before the problem or consider cross-training with lowor no-impact exercise, such as a stationary bike, elliptical or swimming. Take an extra day off. These symptoms can be shortterm if you treat them early and appropriately. If pain continues despite rest or gets worse, it could indicate a bone issue, which potentially is serious. Stress reactions or stress fractures are common in the mid-foot, mid-shin, or most concerning, high up in your leg by your hip. Pain that doesn’t go away is a symptom, so consult your health care team.
What to do if you suspect an overuse injury
Tell your health care team if you’ve recently changed your workout technique, intensity,
duration, frequency or types of exercises. Identifying the cause of your overuse injury will help you correct the problem and avoid repeating it. You can seek further guidance by talking with specialists, such as sports medicine physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists. Once your injury has healed, ask your health care team to check that you’ve completely regained strength, motion, flexibility and balance before beginning the activity again. Pay special attention to proper technique to avoid future injuries.
Staying strong
Don’t allow an overuse injury to prevent you from being physically active. By working with your health care team, listening to your body and pacing yourself, you can avoid this common setback and safely increase your activity level. Knowing you worked hard to prepare will add to your feeling of accomplishment on race day, but don’t overdo it. You’re almost there. Take care of yourself so you can keep going strong all the way to the finish line.