What is Athletic Training?

It's the fourth quarter, fourth down and 1 yard to go. The home team is down by 3 and the state championship is on the line. The ball is snapped, the star quarterback rolls left, looks for a receiver, and BAM! He's hit from behind! As the injured athlete lies motionless on the ground everyone wonders what to do.....

ENTER THE ATHLETIC TRAINER.

Injuries occur everyday to individuals at all levels of competition and in a variety of occupations. Many of these injuries are minor, but many are potentially serious. Who is it that cares for these individuals? Certified Athletic Trainers!

BOC certified athletic trainers are medical professionals who are experts in injury prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation, particularly in the orthopedic and musculoskeletal disciplines. Athletic Trainers have been recognized by the AMA (American Medical Association) as an allied health care profession since 1990 Certified athletic trainers work on a daily basis with individuals, in a variety of settings, to provide for their total health care and to help improve their physical performance.

The certified athletic trainer is a highly educated and skilled professional specializing in health care to the physically active. In cooperation with physicians and other allied health care personnel, the athletic trainer functions as an integral member of the health care team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports programs, industrial settings, physician's offices and other allied health care settings.

Athletic trainers have a national organization, the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). The NATA is an organization that continually works towards improvements in health care as well as an invaluable educational resource for practicing athletic trainers.