By Melissa Dunson

mdunson@joplinglobe.com

Students in the Joplin-area are gearing up for another fall sports season, and some local health-care professionals are making sure there isn’t anything standing in their way.

Aug. 11 is the first day of practice for all Joplin High School fall sports, but before they head out onto the field, the school district requires all those students to have a physical. Freeman Health System in Joplin has been supplying that need for local athletes and their families every year since 1991, according to Heather Goff, Freeman media coordinator.

The free physicals will be given July 21 and 22 at the Freeman Sports Medicine Center at 1111 McIntosh Circle. Students are asked to arrive at the assigned time for their school and grade. Athletes should wear shorts and a T-shirt.

Goff said it will take individuals about 35 minutes to make it through the 10 health stations operated by specialists in a variety of fields testing vision, bones, heart, lungs, ears, noses and throats.

“It’s a pretty extensive exam; they’re going to get more than they would at a normal physical,” Goff said.

Students younger than age 18 are asked to have a parent with them at the physical, or have a parent sign a consent form and send it with the student. Consent forms are available at the Joplin High School main office.

Physicals

Joplin High School juniors and seniors are scheduled for physicals at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 21, and freshmen and sophomores at 7 p.m. Eighth-graders are scheduled for 7:30 p.m., followed by seventh-graders at 8 p.m.

Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School students should arrive for their physicals at 6 p.m. on July 21. College Heights Christian School athletes are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22.

Student athletes of Ozark Christian College in Joplin will also receive free physicals from the Freeman team at 6:15 p.m. on July 21.

Goff said Freeman will give physicals to nearly 2,500 area student athletes by the time school starts.

Besides a physical, Joplin High School athletes are to complete a parent-permission/insurance form and a code-of-conduct form before coming to practice Aug. 11.

Globe efforts to obtain information about physicals for athletes at Neosho, Carthage, Webb City and Carl Junction were unsuccessful.