Where Are They Now -- Jordan Kocher

Jordan Kocher played high school sports but didn't go on to play in college. However, he still has ties to athletics through his job as a physical therapist

"I mainly started playing sports in high school," said Kocher. "I played some grade school, but I was not consistent. The main reason I got back into sports was in grade school, Coach Short and Coach Fulton came to St. Thomas School and talked to us about joining football. It really was the spark that lit my passion for sports."

Kocher competed for Newton High School where he played basketball his freshman and sophomore years but his love was for football and he played all four years. He graduated in 2011.

"I didn't play any sports at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Ind. but I did participate in intramurals," said Kocher. "I received my Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.

"My uncle is a physical therapist and mainly treats professional athletes. This was my first exposure to physical therapy and initially what sparked my interest in it. However, my love for it really came from my passion of exercise and helping people. Physical therapy really meshes the two of those things well.

"As a physical therapist, I help those who are having pain, whether it be from sports, work or just daily life and help those recover from surgery. I also do screenings, which are important to preseason to know where an athlete's deficits lie as well as get them on the right track to prevent injury."

Kocher is the clinic manager and physical therapist at Rehabilitation & Performance Institute in Effingham. He and his wife Skylee have a three-month-old daughter Klark and they live in Wheeler.

"I didn't play sports outside of high school, so I can't speak about advice for athletes going on to college sports. However, I have treated many athletes at all different levels and do have some advice from that perspective, especially when it comes to injury.

"Get enough sleep, seven to eight hours would be great. Limit time playing video games or on your phone, especially before bed as all the stimulation can affect getting to sleep and sleep quality. Take weight training seriously because it can help with performance and injury prevention. What you eat will have an effect on your performance. Don't specialize in just one sport. The more rounded a player is seems to lead to less injuries and better overall athleticism.

"None of these are hard rules, just things to keep in mind. These areas can all have an impact on either performance or risk for injury."

Kocher talked about his high school career and a game that stands out in his memory.

"The biggest memory is one from my senior year of football," said Kocher. "Our first game was to go up and play Prairie Central. I remember we were the underdogs and we weren't expected to win. However, we went up there and played a heck of a game and ended up winning. It was a great start to our season and I played really well that game."

Kocher still enjoys football, basketball and baseball.

"I don't really have a favorite football or basketball team, but my favorite baseball team is definitely the Cardinals."

What did athletics mean to Kocher?

"Athletics means many different things to different people. For me, they are a great way for people to stay active. They bring a sense of family to those involved whether it be those watching the sport or playing and they are a great past time."