National Athletic Training Month
Every year in March, athletic trainers around the country are being recognized for their contributions and dedication to helping active individuals stay healthy.
Athletic trainers are highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professionals who provide service or treatment to active individuals and teams. As valued members of a healthcare team, their primary role is with injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. If you've ever watched a sporting event on TV, when an athlete goes down with an injury, the athletic trainer is who you see jumping into action to evaluate and care for the athlete; the immediate responder before first responders are even considered.
Athletic trainers work closely with and under the direction of physicians as part of the healthcare team and can be found in high schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, theatre and dance, military branches, professional thru youth sports, private clinics and even industry. They are sometimes confused with personal trainers. There is, however, a large difference in the education, skillset, job duties and patients of an athletic trainer and the clients of a personal trainer. The athletic training academic curriculum and clinical training follows the medical model. Athletic trainers must graduate from an accredited baccalaureate or master's program and 70 percent of ATs have a master's degree.
Southwestern College is fortunate to have three full time athletic trainers on staff caring for the student athletes that represent SWC competing in one of our 17 intercollegiate sports. Their shared experiences sum up to nearly 75 years of athlete care in realms such as division I athletics, professional sports, youth sports and even multiple Olympic and Paralympic games. There are two fully functioning athletic training clinics on campus directly connected to the Den gymnasium/Aquatic complex and at DeVore stadium, keeping a close eye on teams as they practice and compete.
Coaches and student athletes value the knowledge and expertise of these medical providers, working together to solve issues such as immediate or overuse injuries, team training preparation and individually tailored injury care and wellness plans. When a Jaguar student athlete is not performing at their best, it's the job of the student, athletic trainer and coach to work together to design a care plan that allows that student to rebuild, rehab and return to play as quickly and safely as possible.