Jarrell High School Athletic Training

03/12/2026

Congratulations to the JHS Lady Cougar soccer team.⚽️ They are heading to the playoffs.👏 Details about the playoff games are still being discussed. Once we have the information, we will share it with you. GO COUGARS!🐾

03/12/2026

You are more than welcome to nominate our AT for all his efforts in Jarrell this past 9 years. Jarrell Independent School District Jarrell Lady Cougar SoftballJarrell High School Athletics Jarrell HS Cougars

03/05/2026

I often try and explain to our athletes that for one action, there is a reaction. We also have chains in our bodies, as pictured. Your pain may be felt in your lower back but in reality that may be coming from your very tight hamstrings. Flexibility saves us, young and old, pains that we don’t understand. Happy National Athletic Training Month.

🔗 THE POSTERIOR CHAIN CONNECTION
Why Foot, Calf, Hamstrings & Spine Work as One Biomechanical System

The human body is not a collection of isolated muscles but a continuous kinetic chain, where tension, movement, and load are transferred through interconnected tissues. The structures shown in this image highlight the relationship between the foot, Achilles tendon, gastrocnemius–soleus complex, hamstrings, and the spinal extensor muscles. Together, these tissues form a major part of the body’s posterior chain, responsible for propulsion, posture, and load distribution during movement.

At the base of this chain lies the foot and Achilles tendon, which play a crucial role in absorbing and transmitting ground reaction forces during walking, running, and jumping. The Achilles tendon connects the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus, allowing the ankle to generate plantarflexion and forward propulsion. Because the Achilles tendon is one of the strongest tendons in the body, it acts as a powerful energy storage and release structure during dynamic activities.

However, the Achilles does not function independently. The gastrocnemius muscle crosses both the ankle and knee joints, linking ankle mechanics with knee and hamstring function. When this muscle tightens or becomes overloaded, it can influence tension further up the chain. Excessive strain on the calf complex may increase tension through the hamstrings and the fascial structures of the posterior thigh.

The hamstrings then connect the lower limb to the pelvis. These muscles control hip extension and knee flexion while also helping stabilize the pelvis during walking or running. When the hamstrings are tight or fatigued, they can alter pelvic positioning, which in turn affects the lumbar spine. This is why tight hamstrings are often associated with altered pelvic tilt and lower back discomfort.

Continuing upward, the thoracolumbar fascia and spinal extensor muscles form the next link in the chain. These structures stabilize the spine and assist in transferring force between the upper and lower body. When the lower segments of the chain—such as the foot or Achilles tendon—experience dysfunction or inflammation, compensatory tension may travel upward through these fascial and muscular connections.

This interconnected system explains why problems in the foot or Achilles tendon can sometimes lead to symptoms in the calf, hamstrings, hips, or even the lower back. The body distributes mechanical stress across multiple tissues, so dysfunction in one area often influences movement patterns elsewhere.

From a biomechanical perspective, maintaining proper mobility and strength throughout the entire posterior chain is essential for efficient movement. Balanced calf flexibility, strong hamstrings and gluteal muscles, and stable spinal extensors allow forces to move smoothly through the body without overloading a single structure.

The key principle is simple: the body functions as an integrated system. When one link of the chain becomes restricted, weak, or overloaded, the entire movement pattern adapts. Restoring balance across the posterior chain helps maintain efficient biomechanics and reduces unnecessary strain on the musculoskeletal system.

03/04/2026

It’s National Athletic Training month! Thank you to our friends at BSWH for dropping by to show their appreciation for our program. Jarrell HS CougarsJarrell Independent School District

03/03/2026

It’s National Athletic Training Month.

Athletic Trainers are allied health care professionals within the health care system, advancing patient safety, injury prevention, & recovery.🩺

We prevent injuries.
We respond in emergencies.
We guide recovery.

Across schools, colleges, clinics, workplaces & professional sports. SWATA ATs deliver Care You Can Count On.

02/24/2026

Great season ladies!

01/06/2026

🛑NEWS🛑
👏The renovations to the front of Jarrell High School are complete!
🅿The campus administrative offices and student drop-off/pick-up procedures are at the front of the school again.
🎒Students will continue parking in the student lot east of the main campus, entering from Bud Stockton.
🚌Bus drop-off will remain at the Cougar Plaza entrance.
🐾Guest and staff parking has moved back to the front of the campus.
🚗Parent pick-up and drop-off will now take place at the front of the campus, entering and exiting via the baseball/softball road off FM 487. Please use the far west road when exiting back onto FM 487.
🎉We're excited for this new chapter. We'll post photos and videos of the new entrance and library later this week.
⚠️The renovations are part of the 2023 Bond package.
Jarrell HS Cougars

11/17/2025

🚨NEWS ALERT🚨

🏆Our Cougar football team scored a fantastic win on Friday night: 66 - 28. Jarrell High School is home of the 2025 Bi-District Champions in our Division.

👏This victory secures our spot in the second round of the playoffs.

🏈 Our next game will be this Friday, November 21st, at 7:00 pm at Jerry Comalander Stadium in San Antonio. Ticket information will be shared soon.

⚠️To ensure students, staff, and families have enough travel time to attend and support our team, we will release Jarrell High School, Jarrell Middle School, and Jarrell Ranch Middle School at 1:30 pm.

🛑We understand early release can create challenges for working families with younger children. Therefore, elementary schools will follow their normal dismissal time of 2:55 pm; however, if families wish to pick up students early to attend the game, those absences will be excused.

💙Let’s PAINT JARRELL BLUE, fill the stands, bring the energy, and cheer our Cougars on to another victory.

11/11/2025

11/06/2025

Great athlete and even better kid. Proud of you Hannah!

Way to go Hannah!!🥎🥎
Go Lady Cougars!🐾💙🐾💙

10/23/2025

Way to go!

10/02/2025

Thank you for the hard work every day!

Today is Custodian Appreciation Day. On this day, we celebrate and recognize the work that goes into keeping Jarrell ISD in top shape. Thank you to our wonderful colleagues who work diligently so that our campuses and workplaces are clean and safe.