Helping On and Off the Field

Student athletes are always in need of help and guidance, whether it is help with an injury, or simply advice on a diet. Those needs have led to the rise of athletic trainers, certified and licensed health care professionals who practice in the field of sports medicine.

FCHS students who are interested in this growing field have the opportunity to get hands-on experience through the school’s student trainer program, which is led by Certified Athletic Trainer Sara Miles.

“The program was started to enable students who are possibly interested in a medical field, such as nursing, physical therapy, or athletic training, to gain experience before going to college,” said Miles.

Miles, who is in her tenth year at Fluvanna, said she has had a staff of student trainers each year since then, although the program has grown in size from just two students to the current seven.  Some of the current members of the program include juniors Trinity Haynes, Kayla Sacra, Nicole Haseltine, Kevin Burruss, and Brianna McBride, and sophomores Kaylee Chisholm and Hailee Shifflett.

“They assist me in the taping and treatment of athletes before practices, [and] they attend all football practices with me and help to fill the water coolers and bottles and help hydrate the athletes at practice. They also assist the Head Trainer and Team Physicians on the sidelines during games,” said Miles.

Haynes, who’s been in the program since her 8th grade year, gave a description of the day-to-day activities “We tape the athletes that come in, and evaluate if they get injured on the field or on the court.”

Although many students may want to join the program just to have fun or be with friends, Miles says that being a student trainer requires more than just wanting to be on the sidelines. “To become a student trainer, you need to come talk to me and show an interest in helping the athletes of FCHS, and possibly an interest in the sports medicine field,” she said.

The experience that the trainers gain in high school has an effect on what they want to do with their life. Not surprisingly, Miles said that “many student trainers go on to major in medical fields, or be student athletic trainers at the college level.”

The student trainers also have to monitor things the team can’t control. “We also watch for weather changes and cut practices short in extreme heat or lightning,” said Miles.

The student trainers tend to be very active in training and helping to fix up athletes after injuries. According to Miles, they can help to prevent and treat injuries, advise athletes on nutrition and hydration, keep them from cramping, and help them stop bleeding.

The program is open to all grades, since trainers are needed for both JV and varsity sports. But the students have to be able to commit to the program, especially during football season. However, Miles said she is flexible and willing to work around students’ busy schedules.

Overall, the program may demand a lot from the trainers, and it isn’t for the weak of stomach, but the outcome can be very rewarding.