Stretch Properly - Warm-up exercises, such as stretching and light jogging, can help minimize the hazard of strain and soft tissue injury. Stretching prepares the muscles for physical activity and allows blood to flow through them. Once a game or practice is complete, cooling down exercises loosen the body's muscles that may have tightened during the exercise. Encourage both "warm-ups" and "cool-downs."

. Don't play through pain or injuries - Respecting the healing process and your body's wishes is absolutely essential. When there are aches and pains, it's your body's way of telling you to slow down. Playing through pain greatly increases the risk of further injury and extends the recovery time.

. Use proper footwear - Approximately 1 million ankle injuries occur each year, and 85 percent of them are sprains. In addition to stretching properly, the shoes an athlete wears can make a world of difference in preventing sprains or other ankle and foot injuries. Most studies suggest that wearing tightly-laced, high-topped shoes is most beneficial.

. Stay hydrated - Children produce more heat during exercise than adults, yet they actually sweat less - which increases the risk of dehydration. Dehydration can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke, cramps , etc. Young athletes need to drink plenty of water before games and practices as well as during them. Make sure your child takes frequent water breaks.

. No matter what the sport, wear a mouth guard - Mouth guards are effective in the prevention of minor injuries to the teeth, lips, tongue, face and jaw. Furthermore, mouth guards can help prevent serious injuries to the brain (concussions) and roots and bone that hold the teeth in place. If you need convincing, consider this - in 1962, mouth guards became a requirement for high school and college football. Consequently, the percentage of mouth injuries dropped by over 50 percent annually.