When a high school quarterback goes down or a point guard collapses holding their ankle, the stadium falls into silence. The cheers from the crowd and sounds of the coaches’ yells fade, leaving one person sprinting onto the field: the athletic trainer.
Most people only see the Friday night lights- they don’t see the games and practices that can span from early in the morning to late in the evening, where the trainers are having to balance wrapping ankles, providing water, and treating any injuries all at once.
“I think a lot of people just think we’re water girls, and we’re just on the sideline to stand there and do nothing.” Sophia Asaad, a sophomore and athletic trainer, said. “Realistically, I think we deal with a lot more than that, both physically and mentally. We have to treat them and listen to them to see how this injury is affecting them.”
The “on-the-go” nature of being a trainer requires mental agility. In a matter of minutes, a trainer may switch from treating a concussion to a sprained ankle. Each requires a different mindset, a different set of tools, and a different way of speaking to the athlete.
“I think the most important item would probably be tape because it’s versatile. It can help with support, it can help with cuts, all of that.” Asaad said. “The second thing would probably be electrolytes because people cramp easily, and we live in Texas, so it’s pretty hot. Electrolytes are handy to help avoid passing out.”
The most difficult part of the job isn’t the medical diagnosis- it’s the emotional toll of having to tell someone who puts their all into a sport that they can’t play. For some, an injury isn’t only an injury, it’s a heartbreak, and trainers are the ones who have to break the news that they’re unable to play.
”“I play rugby and have gotten a lot of injuries personally, so being able to have that connection when you are sitting on the sidelines with somebody that is injured gives them someone to talk to and ask questions to, whether it is about a play that is going on or their injury.” sophomore Makenzie Davis, another trainer, said. “Just having someone to connect with makes it easier for them.”
Understanding the true value of an athletic trainer is not looking at the game winning touchdown. It is looking at the athlete who was able to walk onto the field and make it happen. It is time to look past the sideline and realize that the most important person on the field is not wearing a jersey, they are wearing a medical bag.
“The best thing is the moment where you go from seeing someone get a serious injury on field and you being the one that goes on field with them to the next morning, talking to them about how their doctor appointment went. Getting to see the full process from A to Z of the recovery and help them through it just feels great,” Davis said.
