Hometown: Holliday, Missouri
What made you get into athletic training?
I attended a small, rural high school in Northeast Missouri. During sporting events, we did not have access to athletic trainers. I was very injury prone during my freshman year of high school, and my basketball coach was the one who always taped my ankles and provided me with a rehab program to get me back to full recovery. He worked as an athletic training aide while in college, so he was able to show me the basics and inspired me to pursue the profession.
What is your favorite aspect of being an Athletic Trainer?
My favorite aspect of being an athletic trainer is the fact that this profession is a big family. With 45,000+ members worldwide, it is amazing on how tight-knit the profession truly is. The friendships and connections you make throughout your time in the profession are lifelong and memorable! It is a profession full of people who care for one another and are passionate about their career.
What is one challenge you face as an Athletic Trainer?
As an athletic trainer, we are constantly facing the challenge of explaining our profession and making the public aware that we are healthcare providers; not personal trainers. That is why I find the theme for NATA month to be so precise: Athletic Trainers are Healthcare! As athletic trainers, we do so much more than tape ankles and help with water on the sidelines. We specialize in injury and illness prevention, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions for patients across a broad spectrum.
Outside of Athletic Training, what do you enjoy in your free time?
One of my favorite pastimes is to travel and experience new cultures. I enjoy meeting new people and learning first-hand about their ways of life. I've found that there is no better way to understand the world than by experiencing it for yourself!
What is your specialization in Athletic Training?
In my experience, I have found that patients respond better in rehabilitation to manual therapy (massage, cupping, myofascial release). As a result, I have worked to specialize in manual therapy techniques and continue to implement them in my rehabilitation programs as much as possible.
What made you gravitate to your specialization?
Throughout school, and during my experience as a certified athletic trainer, I have found that patients often respond better to manual therapy than when utilizing a therapeutic modality. During my internship, I learned a lot about trigger point massage and the referral pain patterns of muscles throughout the body. I have since been able to see first-hand the type of relief that patients experience when applying this form of manual therapy to my rehabilitation
programs.
What sports have you worked with throughout your career?
During my undergraduate career, I worked with several of the university's sports teams including: women's field hockey, men's lacrosse, men's rugby, track and field, football, and baseball. Since becoming licensed and certified, I have worked as the primary athletic trainer for the men's rugby team here at Central Washington University.
What is your favorite Athletic Training story?
My senior year of undergrad, I helped spearhead the rehabilitation program of an athlete who had torn their ACL on four separate occasions. Being there from the point of surgery to the return to sport was rewarding and an unforgettable experience.
What is your favorite Athletic Training myth/pet peeve and why?
My biggest pet peeve in regards to athletic training is the assumption that athletic trainers only work with the athletic population. On the contrary, athletic trainers are employed in emergency room settings, industrial health programs, the armed forces, and so much more.
Where did you get your degrees from?
I obtained my bachelors degree in Athletic Training from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri and am currently working on my masters degree in Integrative Human Physiology here at Central Washington University.
What is your favorite road trip with your team(s) and why?
My favorite road trip with my team is our first trip to California to start off the 2019 season. This was the first road trip I worked after becoming a certified athletic trainer, and it was amazing to see how my years of schooling and clinical experience paid off.
