VILLANOVA, Pa. – There's more to a team than just what is seen on the field, in the water, or on the court. Behind the scenes, there's a team behind the team that also finds itself going through preparations and training to make sure the team performs to the best of its ability. That team is the Sports Medicine Staff.
March marks National Athletic Training Month. During the month, athletic trainers across America are recognized for their commitment to helping people prevent injuries while also staying healthy and active. As health care professionals, they are highly educated and dedicated to the job at hand. Athletic trainers are found in high schools and colleges, corporations, professional sports, the military, performing arts, clinics, hospitals and physician offices.
Head Team Physician and Athletics Healthcare Administrator Mike Duncan leads a team of 16 staff members who work with the 24 varsity sports at Villanova. A majority of these staff members work with at least two teams throughout the season, generally split between one fall, one winter or one spring team.
There is more to a typical day for the athletic training staff than just being at games or practice to help with any injuries that may arise. The athletic trainers work with the student-athletes in training, rehabilitation, recovery sessions and even help them with planning and transportation to physician visits or other appointments.
TYLER WAITE – FOOTBALL AND GOLF
What made you want to become an athletic trainer and how did you get your start?
"I played and loved sports all throughout my life. When I was in high school, I had a couple of injuries that required me to spend some time with my high school ATC so I picked his brain, asked about his journey, just got to know more about the field. I had a high interest in human anatomy, science, and how things work. With all of those things, I knew I wanted my professional career to be associated with athletics, orthopedics, and movement sciences. I attended The Ohio State University for undergrad and applied interviewed for entry into their athletic training program. Once I began the curriculum and clinical rotations, I was hooked."
What does a typical day look like for you, especially with the team(s) you work with?
"Let me preface this – I can honestly say that no two days are the same in this Division I athletics professional setting. There is seasonality and unforeseen scenarios that cause change to athletic trainers' daily schedules. In the fall, specifically with football, the alarm clock goes off at 5:15 a.m. – maybe a snooze or two. I start my day on-campus around 6:30 a.m. The athletic training room opens for evaluations and practice preparations – neuromuscular activation, taping, padding, field setup, etc. All of this happens before our practice coverage responsibilities, which typically go from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Post-practice lasts for about an hour and half, consisting of evaluation, treatment, rehab, and recovery sessions. From there, the focus turns to student-athlete appointments for x-rays, MRIs and physician visits that occur as needed throughout the day and around their class schedules. Once we get to the afternoon, the focus is primarily on additional treatment, rehab, and recovery as needed. Even with all of this, we have administrative responsibilities that we handle throughout the day too. We take care of insurance/billing management, inventory management, facility management, and electronic medical record keeping."
What would you consider to be the most rewarding part of your job?
"The most rewarding part of the job is when program design and execution result in positive outcomes for the student-athletes' health and well-being. Also, it's awesome when relationships built over the course of 4+ years last a lifetime."
What advice would you give to others who want to pursue a career in sports medicine?
"Establish your "Why" before jumping into anything. Why do you want to do this? Establish goals, both professionally and financially, but note that they may change over time. Do your "setting homework." There are many different career path settings available – high school settings, collegiate DI, DII, DIII, professional sports, physical therapy clinic settings, industrial settings, hospital settings, government/military settings. Each setting has a different "flavor" with regards to schedule, job description, and salary. Some settings are very demanding and stressful. These jobs are not for everyone. They typically require working long hours, holidays, nights, weekends, and a lot of traveling. Some settings are more traditional 9-5s, weekends off. Reach out to athletic trainers across the country in each setting of interest and ask questions.
KELLIE PERKINS – ROWING AND TRACK & FIELD
What does a typical day look like for you, especially with the team(s) you work with?
"Each day is a little different, which is what makes the job enjoyable. I am primarily responsible for rowing and track & field, which are non-contact sports, so I am typically in the athletic training room for any treatment, rehab & other medical needs of those athletes. We deal with a lot of overuse type injuries, so a lot of the focus with these athletes is rehabilitation to strengthen muscles that are weak and lead to those overuse injuries. I also travel to meets and training trips, which are all unique but typically we will do treatments and recovery between competitions/training sessions while on the road."
What would you consider to be the most rewarding part of your job?
"The most rewarding part of my job is seeing an athlete come back from an injury. Injuries can take a toll on both physical and mental health, so it is super exciting to see an athlete come in with an injury and take them through the healing and rehabilitation process to return to their sport. I would also say having the opportunity to see the student athletes grow and mature as people during their four years here is pretty rewarding as well."
What advice would you give to others who want to pursue a career in sports medicine?
"If you want to do something, go do it. Ask tons of questions, learn as much as you can about the sports you are working with, and just embrace the grind. This is a job where there are long days, weekends spent at athletic events, and unexpected events happen, so be sure to also take care of yourself. It is our nature to always help our athletes/patients, but also remember to take care of yourself so that in return you can be your best self for others."
