Athletic trainers (ATs) help prevent, treat, and rehabilitate sports-related injuries. While you’ll often see these dedicated professionals on the sidelines of games, a lot of their work happens behind the scenes ahead of game day.
Jordyn Collier, MS, LAT, ATC, is a UPMC athletic trainer supporting her alma mater, Brashear High School in Pittsburgh. As is the case with many athletic trainers, Jordyn is a former student-athlete. Having sustained multiple injuries during that time, she’d developed a rapport with her school’s athletic trainer.
Jordyn always wanted to work with young people. Being able to do that at the high school she graduated from has been even more special for her.
Learn more from Jordyn about athletic training and the role ATs play.
What Are Athletic Trainers?
Athletic trainers are highly qualified, multiskilled health professionals who serve and treat athletes under the direction of, or in collaboration with, a doctor. They’re licensed or regulated to practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
As part of a school’s health care team, ATs can provide a wide range of services, including:
- Emergent care.
- Examination and clinical diagnosis.
- Injury and illness prevention.
- Primary care.
- Rehabilitation of injuries.
- Therapeutic intervention.
- Wellness promotion and education.
Athletic trainers must be versatile and adaptable, as no day is quite the same. As the only AT at Brashear High School, Jordyn often works with athletes from various sports on the same day.
Common injuries can vary from sport to sport. Football players, for example, might be more prone to ankle sprains than swimmers. Because of their training, ATs can identify and triage a wide range of athletic injuries, including sprains and strains, dislocations, and fractures.
What Does Game Day Look Like for an Athletic Trainer?
On game day, Jordyn works not only with athletes on the home team but also with those on the visiting team. Typically, if a high school has an athletic trainer, they only travel with the football team for away games. Jordyn works closely with the visiting team’s coach in case any of their athletes need assistance, and then quickly builds a relationship with the player.
Athletic trainers serve as health care professionals on the sidelines on game day. If an injury happens, ATs have the qualifications to make quick decisions to assess the athlete’s condition.
When there’s an injury, Jordan immediately ensures the athlete can breathe and is conscious. She then determines where the injury is. Since head and spine injuries tend to be more severe, those are the first injuries she looks for.
From there, it’s about keeping the athlete stable, checking for a fracture, and planning next steps. Although football games typically have emergency medical services (EMS) on-site, other sports often lack first responders. If an athlete requires further care, Jordyn coordinates with EMS teams or the athlete’s family to ensure they get the care they need.
“As quickly as possible, I like to get athletes off the field so I can really assess them, talk to them, try to calm them, and figure out what’s going on,” Jordyn says.
How Do Athletic Trainers Help Athletes Recover from Injuries?
When assessing an injury, Jordyn focuses on strength levels, range of motion, and what’s possible for student-athletes. Then she develops a rehabilitation plan, giving the athlete exercises they can perform on the sidelines during practice.
“I encourage any athletes who are injured to still come to practice,” Jordyn says. “Being at practice not only helps the athlete work on their recovery, but it also helps them feel like they’re still part of the team.”
While Jordyn focuses on the physical components of helping athletes heal, she also considers their mental health. Given that high school students already have a lot on their plates, Jordyn focuses as much on being a safe person with whom student-athletes can share their feelings.
“I always like to ask them, ‘How are you feeling? What are you feeling?’” Jordyn says. “Not even just in this realm of sports, but also in their lives. The better relationship you have with these athletes, the better you can get them back to sport.”
What Are the Benefits of Having an Athletic Trainer at a High School?
Without an athletic trainer, many lower-grade injuries require athletes to seek medical care. That requires booking appointments — taking time away from school — and building recovery plans from there. Because ATs are on-site, they can meet student athletes where they are and help them recover faster.
It’s also valuable to have a dedicated professional trusted by coaches, families, and athletes to help with their recovery and care. UPMC prioritizes athletes at contracted schools, so Jordyn can consult doctors and fast-track students who need further care.
According to Jordyn, athletic training is a rewarding career, especially when students share aspects of their lives outside of sports. Whether they had a good day or received a good grade, she wants to hear it all.
“I feel so much warmth out of that,” Jordyn says. “Seeing them be happy in what they’re doing is my joy.”