Athletic Trainers in our Schools

I want to take this opportunity to get on my soapbox. It's really time to do something.

Have you ever watched a professional or college sporting event on TV and seen an athlete go down with an injury? They lay there on the field or court, writhing in pain, until a couple of people wearing fanny packs or something come sprinting out to them & immediately begin to assess the damage. These people start to figure out what's wrong with the athlete, and begin a course of care right there on the spot that, hopefully, leads to minimizing any further damage & getting that athlete back to playing again as soon as possible. So, who are these people?

If it's a TV game, there is probably a sports medicine physician out there, and that's a great thing. But the odds are very good that one of these people is a certified athletic trainer, an allied healthcare provider whose medical training ensures that they are there for the athlete & their injuries. Read more about the profession of athletic training here. Ask any athlete in the professional or collegiate ranks who has been injured & they will say that they are glad that there is a medical professional on hand for them at all times---not just for games, but also for practices & travel time.

Now, let's shift our focus to the high school ranks. Imagine yourself at a game, and the scenario described above happens....a player goes down, and....who runs out there to tend to them? Picture that being your son or daughter....you want to know "Who is the person giving immediate care to my kid?" Or does anyone run out there at all?

In the state of Arkansas, LESS THAN 12 school districts employ their athletic trainer....out of 271! This number is staggering. Some schools contract out with a local medical group or hospital to provide an athletic trainer. This is good, but what if their employer wants to do put them at another school in the area, or what if they eliminate that position to save funds?? We spend millions of dollars on coaches, turf fields, and indoor practice facilities---please note, I am in 100% favor of these things, as long as there is also education going on!---but no one can seem to find funds for one or two qualified medical professionals who can:

1. Prevent Injuries
2. Lower Medical Costs & Insurance Premiums
3. Provide Rehabilitation Services
4. Administer First Aid Care
5. Ensure a Higher Level of Medical Care for Student-Athletes


What's wrong with this picture? Why don't more schools have an athletic trainer? Read this great article on this topic.

Ask your athletic director why your kids don't have a higher standard of care....ask your school board where your athletic trainer is.....demand it. Ask your legislator why every school doesn't have an athletic trainer? It's NOT a luxury, it's a necessity. In today's litigious society, a school really can't afford NOT to have an athletic trainer on hand at all times, for all student-athletes.


BJ Maack,ATC, LAT, CSCS
President
Arkansas Athletic Trainers' Association

For more information:

National Athletic Trainers Association
Arkansas Athletic Trainers Association