How I Became a Athletic Trainer

I speed through the hallways full of students with their friends and feel the cold, metal handle underneath my grip. I walk into a classroom filled with artificial air and as I sit down I notice the slideshow about the skull on the board. I excitedly open my backpack and grab my binder. The classroom fills with students and the soft chatter of friends fills the air. The bell rings and the teacher, now standing next to the skeleton lifting up its arm, asks everyone to name their favorite joint. At first, we wonder why but she enthusiastically describes her favorite joint and I smile realizing how truly amazing the human body is.

I never originally thought I would be interested in anatomy, physiology, or sports medicine but that changed my Sophomore year. After getting injured, I spent time in the athletic training room and became more interested in how the body works. I wondered about the function of different muscles and what cells made bones.

Throughout the next two years, I would take classes in anatomy, physiology, and sports medicine. Every day I would look forward to what would be taught and every day I learned more and more about the human body.

One the first day of school, as kids excitedly found friends they hadn’t seen all summer and went to classes they would attend throughout the year, I rushed into the athletic training room hoping that I would get to pick the sport I wanted to attend as a student athletic trainer. Going from intro to advanced sports medicine was a big jump. It meant that I was responsible for attending every game for a specific sport whereas, in intro to sports medicine, I got to pick and choose what games to attend. I no longer got to watch what the advanced students got to do; I was the one in charge.

I grabbed the schedule for girl's lacrosse and I couldn’t wait for their first game. When it came time, I rushed to the training room and as I opened the ice machine, and I felt the arctic blast hit my skin. I heard the clink of the ice and the swoosh of the water hit the jugs and I quickly rushed them onto the field before any melting could occur. I organized the backpack I would get to carry and filled it with all the essential items. And as the year progressed, what could become boring to some, filled me with excitement. Each time I felt the cold air of the ice machine, I knew that I might be called on to save somebody’s life and that sends adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Throughout the year, I became known as the girl who had three different identities. To my teacher, I was the reliable student athletic trainer she knew she could count on. To the girl's lacrosse team, I was the person who helped them work through injuries. To the parents, I was the person who kept them up to date on everything they needed to know.

As a student athletic trainer, I take classes on how the body works. As a student athletic trainer, I see many injuries. I have learned how to calm people down and how to support ankle sprains. As an athletic trainer, I know the responsibility I have to show up to all the games so if anyone gets hurt, they know who to talk to. As a student athletic trainer, I know I may be called upon to save someone’s life. So when college applications ask who are you, I can confidently answer, I am an athletic trainer who understands that learning never ends and who deeply cares for the success of others.