As the Intermountain athletic trainer working at Payson High School, I’ve repeatedly seen how important my support skills are at the high school level. If a school is going to have athletics and provide equipment for athletics – all with the knowledge that there are risks involved — then it’s only logical to have someone there if something goes wrong. It’s the responsible thing to do. Here are six reasons why I feel that way:
Prevention
It’s the mantra of an athletic trainer. I regularly work with coaches on their practice habits and discuss what can be done to prevent injuries. Payson football has reduced the number of days they hit during practices because the team was losing players to injuries. We also have a half-speed day where players focus on fundamentals and leave the pads on the sidelines.
Recognition
When something does occur during a game or practice, an athletic trainer can identify the injury and decide the best course of treatment. At times, I have stabilized athletes and educated parents on where to receive the proper follow-up care. On occasion, I’ve directed treatment until EMS personnel could arrive. I can recognize an emergent injury versus a non-emergent injury and make sure the athlete is sent to the right place for care. This insures we hit the “golden hour of recognition,” which has been shown to produce the best possible outcomes for injured athletes.
Rehabilitation
Post-injury rehabilitation or management can often be done in the school’s training room, which benefits athletes and their parents. When I work with an injured player, that student doesn’t have to leave class for treatment and his or her parents don’t have to leave work to get them there. If meeting at school isn’t possible, I can call on a strong network of local providers that I’ve built during my tenure in the community. I’m also able to make the call on when an athlete is ready to return to the game based on the athlete’s best interest rather than on getting one more victory in the win column.
Education
Athletic injuries come with a lot of questions from players, coaches, parents, administrators and more. There are also numerous questions on the topic of making school athletics safer. In my role, I’m able to help the school make policy changes to increase student safety. For example, Payson now requires those playing fall sports, including cheerleading, to agree to follow the Utah High School Athletic Association (UHSAA) guidelines and have an appointment with the athletic trainer. Before I was at the school, cheerleading was an exception, and it’s the number two high school activity for reporting concussions, second only to football.
Determination
The decision to play or sit out isn’t always easy. My sole purpose is safety, not wins. If a parent or a coach is pressuring an athlete to just push through an injury and play, then I evaluate the situation and make the decision. If someone has a problem with it, then that person deals with me. All pressure is off the athlete and parents, or coaches, can focus their energy on me rather than a 16-year-old kid. That’s especially good with concussions because coaches aren’t trained to recognize the symptoms on the sidelines.
Direction
High school can be a trying time for young people and they need a safe place to turn. There’s not much I haven’t heard since I’ve been here – drugs, abuse, pregnancy, problems at home, criminal activity. They don’t know how to deal with these scenarios and they ask me what to do. Obviously, I try to steer them in the right direction. I have to report certain things to the right authorities, but my office is a non-judgmental, non-disciplinary place for them to go.
Athletics come with benefits and risks for those involved. Having a full-time trainer at the high-school level is the responsible way to increase safety for young people who still have years of growth and development ahead.