It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Tripoli, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“Always Best Care of the Cedar Valley has compassionate staff and flexible scheduling. The office”
“Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the”
“I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose”
“Always Best Care of the Cedar Valley has compassionate staff and flexible scheduling. The office staff answers my questions patiently.”
“Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the caregiver is sick, nobody comes. I would think that they need a little more back up than they have right now. They give me a schedule, and billing is paid by Medicaid.”
“I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose it. The caregiver is very good with a very good attitude. They were able to provide the caregiver for myself immediately. She accompanies me to shopping.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Tripoli, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Tripoli, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Tripoli, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
2011 as a Senior… Academic All-Big Ten… appeared in 33 matches with 27 starts… started the last 27 contests… named tournament MVP of the Iowa Invitational… team-high nine kills vs. Marquette (8/27)… career-high 16 kills vs. Oakland (9/10)… 15 digs vs. Arizona State (9/2)… career-high three assists vs. Loyola (9/10)… recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 13 assists vs. Columbia (9/16)… recorded 11 kills and seven digs vs. Ohio State (9/23)… recorded 10 ki...
2011 as a Senior… Academic All-Big Ten… appeared in 33 matches with 27 starts… started the last 27 contests… named tournament MVP of the Iowa Invitational… team-high nine kills vs. Marquette (8/27)… career-high 16 kills vs. Oakland (9/10)… 15 digs vs. Arizona State (9/2)… career-high three assists vs. Loyola (9/10)… recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 13 assists vs. Columbia (9/16)… recorded 11 kills and seven digs vs. Ohio State (9/23)… recorded 10 kills and 11 digs against Penn State (9/24)… recorded 13 kills, nine digs and two blocks vs. Indiana (10/7)… recorded four kills and eight digs vs. Purdue (10/8)… recorded a double-double with a team-high 11 kills and a team-best 14 digs at Wisconsin (10/16)… recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs at Penn State (10/28)… recorded 10 kills and a career high 19 digs vs. Michigan, adding four total blocks (11/5)… recorded 10 kills and 16 digs vs. Indiana (11/10)… recorded 10 kills and 10 digs vs. Wisconsin (11/18)… recorded 13 kills while hitting .323 at Illinois (11/26)… letterwinner.
2010 as a Junior… Academic All-Big Ten… appeared in 28 matches with 22 starts… played in 90 sets… started the last 14 matches… picked up 11 kills and 11 digs in season openers vs. Alabama (8/27)… recorded a career-high 13 digs at Saint Louis (9/4)… matched her career high with 13 digs at Drake (9/15)… recorded five kills at Northwestern (10/8)… recorded three kills and six digs at Ohio State (10/15)… recorded four kills and six digs at Penn State (10/16)… recorded four kills, one block and six digs vs. Wisconsin (10/22)… recorded five kills, two blocks and six digs vs. Illinois (10/23)… recorded seven kills and 10 digs at Minnesota (10/27)… recorded six kills and one block at Purdue (10/5)… recorded five kills and one block vs. Michigan State… recorded five kills, nine digs and matched her career high with three blocks vs. No. 16 Michigan… recorded 11 kills at Illinois (11/19)… recorded one ace and a career best five total blocks at Wisconsin (11/20)… matched her career high with 11 kills and recorded eight digs vs. Ohio State (11/27)… letterwinner.
2009 as a Sophomore… Academic all-Big Ten… Played in 24 matches and 55 sets with eight starts… started the final eight games… recorded her first career double-double vs. Purdue (Nov. 27), setting career-highs in kills (18) digs (12) and attack percentage (.244)… served a career-best two service aces at Ohio State (Oct. 3)… recorded career-high with two solo blocks vs. Northern Colorado (Sept. 9) and three total blocks vs. Eastern Kentucky (Aug. 29)… recorded at least five kills in nine different matches.
2008 as a Freshman… Played in nine matches and 12 sets with two starts… started first career match against Illinois and tied career-high with two kills (Nov. 7)… also tallied two digs at Michigan (Oct. 24)… finished season with eight kills, three digs and two block assists.
High School… Named Iowa Class 1A Player of the Year as a senior… four-time all-state, all-district and all-conference selection… named Elite Team all-state as a senior… led Tripoli to state championship and Iowa Star Conference titles in 2004 and 2005… named to Class 1A state tournament all-tournament team as a freshman and sophomore… helped Tripoli High School to state tournament as a senior… played for the Nike Six Pack club team for four years and guided them to nationals four times… also lettered in basketball, track and softball… named all-conference in both basketball and softball… honor roll student.
Personal… Born 2/7/90… parents are Paul and Linda Nilges… has one brother, Cody, who plays football at Upper Iowa… business major.
Personal Bests Kills: 16 vs. Oakland, Sept. 10, 2011 TA: 49 vs. Illinois, Nov. 19, 2010 Attack %: .800 vs. Chicago State, Sept. 9, 2011 Assists: 3, three times, last vs. Penn State, Sept. 24, 2011 Aces: 2, two times, last vs. St. John[apos]s, Sept. 17, 2011 Digs: 19 vs. Michigan, Nov. 5, 2011 Solo Blocks: 2 vs. Northern Colorado, Sept. 12, 2009 Total Blocks: 5, two times, last at Indiana, Nov. 12, 2011
TOPEKA — Player safety is a hot topic of conversation around the country. Football is a tough sport with crunching tackles and big hits, and making the sport safer and limiting concussions is an objective for many administrators, coaches, and parents across all levels of the game.The latest innovation to help player safety is the Guardian Cap. It was created in 2010, and is an outside shell was created to limit the possibilities of concussions.Last spring, the NFL announced that players could wear Guardian Caps in games. ...
TOPEKA — Player safety is a hot topic of conversation around the country. Football is a tough sport with crunching tackles and big hits, and making the sport safer and limiting concussions is an objective for many administrators, coaches, and parents across all levels of the game.
The latest innovation to help player safety is the Guardian Cap. It was created in 2010, and is an outside shell was created to limit the possibilities of concussions.
Last spring, the NFL announced that players could wear Guardian Caps in games. Some players have been seen wearing them during game action this year.
Following the NFL rules, the National Federation of High School Associations also allowed teams to wear the Guardian Cap in games.
The future of high school football could look different with teams wearing the extra protective layering. But, nine of Shawnee County’s 10 high school teams do not wear Guardian Caps even in practice.
Play the USA TODAY Quick Cross now.The only school that has the outer shell is Topeka High. The cap was in the equipment room when first-year head coach Jason Filbeck arrived. He had his offensive and defensive linemen wear it throughout practice this season.
“It helps with the successive and repeated blows with the lineman hitting every play, helmet to helmet,” Filbeck said. “Who knows if that pad can stop the concussion, if that hit would have been a concussion. But, if it makes them feel good and feel safer, then I say it’s a good thing. If parents like it, it’s a good thing, too.”
Derick Hammes 'speechless' after epic 17-point comeback win in KSHSAA sectionalsThe added protection around the helmet is designed to reduce impact. According to the Guardian Caps website, the materials of the cap can absorb energy and can lower forces transmitted to it.
Very similar to a NASCAR driver and the soft wall technology that tracks have adopted or even automobiles and the soft bumpers and airbags that are now required,” The Guardian Sports website says. “The Guardian Cap serves the same purpose for an athlete’s head—a soft shell barrier between it and impact.”
The NFL has been researching the use of a protective layer around the helmet and they have seen positive signs.
“The position groups required to wear Guardian Cap during the mandated period in the preseason saw a more than 50% reduction in concussions versus a previous three-year average (2018, 2019, 2021; the anomalous 2020 season is excluded),” an NFL study said in 2022.
Cleveland Browns lead medical physician, Sean Cupp, MD., confirmed the NFL’s findings and added his own.
“In addition, there was an estimated average of 15-20 percent reduction in impact severity for every helmet-to-helmet shell contact in which both players were wearing the Guardian Cap,” Dr. Cupp said.
Eight different NFL players are currently wearing Guardian Caps during play this season. There hasn’t been a Kansas City Chiefs’ player that has worn them during games this year, but the Chiefs did wear them during training camp, which is mandated by the NFL.
Kansas State does wear Guardian Caps during practice, while Kansas and Washburn do not.
Scientists are starting to these the the efficacy of Guardian Caps. Some studies are different from the NFL’s previous study. David Camarillo, PhD is an associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University. Dr. Camarillo and his associates found that the caps were not as successful in limiting concessions.
“In a preliminary on-field investigation, we did not observe any significant reductions in any measure of impact severity after implementation of the padded helmet shell cover,” the study said.
While there are differing opinions, discussions of wearing the outer shell or not continue to be had across the NFL, college, high school and youth ranks.
Ichabods fire long-time head football coach Craig SchurigThere aren’t many, if any schools in Kansas, that are using an extra layer of protection over their helmets in games. Around the vicinity, schools in Arkansas, Minnesota and Iowa are starting to copy the NFL.
Tripoli High School in Tripoli, Iowa, is one of the first teams in the country to play with Guardian Caps in games. Tripoli is 30 minutes north of Waterloo, and they play in 8-man football. According to the Iowa High School Athletic Association, the Panthers have an enrollment of 81 students, just less than Topeka’s Cair Paravel.
The Panthers had serious concussions that sat players out for extended amounts of time over the past few years. Head coach Joe Urbanek went to Tripoli’s athletic director, and they were both in agreement in using the Guardian Cap. According to Urbanek, the conversation lasted 15 seconds to purchase the caps.
See all the Topeka-area athletes that will play in college“If this has any affect and is proven to have any affect and I knew about it and didn’t do anything,” Urbanek said. “I would feel pretty negligent in that deal as a coach knowing that we had the means to make them available to our kids.”
Once it was announced, the players of Tripoli were hesitant. They had never practiced or played in these shells before, but after a few days of contact practice, they didn’t know any better, Urbanek said.
“We got a little bit of backlash from Facebook stuff. Like, ‘I can’t believe you are making your kids wear these,’” Urbanek said. “I just thought that was idiotic myself. If this has any chance of being safe why and the heck are questioning that.”
One of the players that received a concussion last year was hit in the same manner this season with the Guardian Cap attached to his helmet. Urbanek explained how he was ready to see his player on the ground, but instead, he jumped right up, ready for the next play. It was at this time that Urbanek was a believer of this added protection.
Tripoli did suffer a few concussions this year. That is still the nature of football; it’s an aggressive sport. None of the concussions that the Panthers suffered were long-term injuries, thanks to the Guardian Cap.
Purchasing Guardian Caps is the main hurdle for many athletic departments. Tripoli’s small school made it easy to buy the necessary amount for their roster. Urbanek is hoping to purchase new caps in the future, too. This way, the caps will cycle down into the middle school for their program.
“If it saves one kid from a concussion, I think it’s money well spent,” Urbanek said.
According to their website, the Guardian Cap costs $69.99. That’s not much when it’s for one player. Many of the schools in Topeka have upwards of 100 players on their roster, which would include junior varsity and freshman teams.
Shawnee Heights head coach Jason Swift explained that they have explored purchasing Guardian Caps, but the price of the expense has been tough to navigate.
“It would have to be something that we would have to raise some money to be able to support every kid, not just a couple,” Swift said.
It’s hard to tell if Guardian Caps will make its way to game action in Kansas. But, with teams in nearby states doing it, it’s not out of the question.
“The use of the Guardian Cap is not illegal, but because a Guardian Cap is an add-on to a helmet, we tell all of our schools that before you are to wear those, you would contact your helmet manufacturer to see how it would affect the warranty on the helmet because they are two different materials,” Kansas State High School Activities Association’s football administrator Mark Lentz said.
Football continues to make progress by making the the sport safer from the NFL to college and to high school. The Guardian Cap is a new piece of equipment that can shape the sport as they try to lower the amount of concussions.
“Football is constantly evolving to make the game as safe as possible, whether it’s the rules that have been implemented in the last 10 years to the way that we teach blocking and tackling,” Swift said. “The game is safer than it has ever been. Whatever advantage that you can to keep the game safe should be in your first thoughts as a football program and to keep this great game of football going.”
Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@gannett.com
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