As the excitement of fall sports kicks off in August across the Las Vegas Valley, football and volleyball teams are diving into practice routines, marking the anticipated return of local athletes to their respective fields and courts.
This bustling season necessitates an essential health protocol: passing sports physicals. These evaluations are a crucial step for athletes eager to compete, ensuring they meet safety standards before stepping onto the turf or gym floor.
WATCH | Coaches and doctors discuss the importance of physicals
Coaches, doctors stress importance of Las Vegas athletes needing to pass sports physicals to play
In the sweltering Las Vegas heat, particularly for football players, the importance of thorough health checks increases. Coaches emphasize that athletes should not engage in practice without completing their physicals. Liberty High School’s head coach, Rich Muraco, underscores this: “As a coach, we can’t let anybody out there practicing that doesn’t have it.”
Similarly, Brent Browner, head coach at Bishop Gorman, recognizes that ensuring athletes’ health is vital for both their safety and the sport’s integrity. “It’s super important to the sport and to make sure they’re healthy,” he affirms.
WATCH | Nick Walters and a local physician show you the process
Nick Walters gets a sports physical from a Las Vegas pediatrician
Local healthcare providers play an integral role in this process, conducting comprehensive evaluations to assess each player’s capability to handle the rigors of training and competition. Dr. Wesley Robertson from Sunshine Valley Pediatrics articulates the gravity of this responsibility: “We as physicians and pediatricians, that’s our biggest responsibility is to make sure we don’t have that child going out.”
Las Vegas schools under the Clark County School District (CCSD) recently commenced their official football practices, with all participating players having completed their physical exams. The manner in which these assessments occur varies; many teams coordinate onsite physicals with medical professionals, while others may direct athletes to their personal healthcare providers.
“We just had a physical night not too long ago at Liberty,” Coach Muraco describes. “I think it’s important for families to be honest and get a licensed physician to go ahead and do their physicals.” He notes that physicals now include evaluations of functional movement, a step that enhances the examination process.
Coach Browner elaborates on collaboration within schools to streamline the physicals. “We have kids that go to different providers,” he states. “But we try to facilitate it at the school so they can all get it done.” This proactive approach often occurs just before the academic year ends, ensuring that these physicals remain valid throughout the sports season.
For families seeking cost-effective solutions, options abound in Southern Nevada. CareNow Urgent Care offers discounted sports physicals for just $35, valid from May 6 through August 31, 2025. Similarly, WellNow Urgent Care provides physicals for school, sports, and camps starting at $60, with the added convenience of walk-in appointments. CVS MinuteClinic also features various locations for sports physical examinations across Las Vegas.
Dr. Robertson emphasizes the critical nature of cardiac evaluations during these physicals, revealing that many potential issues can be detected through basic examinations. “Multiple times we’ll pick up somebody with an arrhythmia, premature ventricular contractions that need to be evaluated just by examining them,” he explains. This highlights the risk factors that might not be immediately apparent but are crucial for athlete safety.