In the first year of being an athletic trainer, students learn the basics of the Sports Medicine Program that covers proper hydration for both athletes and trainers, taping skills, techniques to stretch muscles in the body, CPR and First Aid.

Students trainers receive different assignments every week for varsity football practices and during games by Coach Hanes.

“During games we give athletes water, help [Athletic Trainers] Coach Taylor Hanes and Coach Andrew Brockway with any injuries, cover blood and just make sure the athletes stay healthy,” said third-year trainer, junior Kelsey Pierce. “Practice is basically watching the athletes and making sure they are hydrated.”

Just like in everyday tasks, there are some that are more enjoyable than others.

“My favorite thing to do is doing treatments with the athletes while my least favorite are the waterboys,” said third-year trainer, junior Isabelle Coffman. “I do, stem, or strengthening exercises during treatments and I dislike the waterboys, which is a big cooler that has hoses attached to it and it’s filled with water,  because they are heavy and it’s usually hot outside when I have to get them filled.”

Athletic trainers have a chance of seeing a gruesome injuries whether it is during a game or practice.

“During my freshman year there was an ACL tear, basically the player went down after a blow to the knee.It like buckled and twisted which caused it to tear,” said Pierce “Some of the treatment I did was range of motion exercises to get flexibility back, electrical stimulation to reduce pain and cold impression to reduce swelling. This was just some of the treatment though.”

See them in action on the field during the Pink Out game, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Wylie Stadium.