You have probably seen them at school athletic events and not really known exactly what they do, unless a student athlete is injured. The role of the athletic trainer goes well beyond those game-associated duties and is one of the main reasons why the month of March is National Athletic Training Month.
Athletic trainers are healthcare professionals who collaborate with physicians. Their services include: prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic interventions, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. In school districts, the athletic trainers also play an important role as a liaison that relays information about injuries, treatments, rehabilitation, etc. between coaches, school administration, parents, and athletes. After an injury, they work very closely with student athletes to help them recover quickly, and in the safest manner possible. Rehabilitation services are always provided under a physician’s guidelines and direction.
Mission CISD has five professional athletic trainers. They are: Bob Aparicio Jr., Lori Armendariz, Anthony Saenz, Kim Reynolds, and Tim Ferren.
These five professionals are supported by a large team of student athletic training aides. The students assist the certified athletic trainers with practice/game set up, maintaining coverage at events, relaying information to the coaching staff and athletes, and help as “an extension” of the certified trainers. The student trainers gain valuable life experiences and habits they can carry over into their future endeavors, as well as valuable hands-on experiences that many college students do not receive until graduate school.
Pictured are some of the year’s student athletic trainers. The student trainers from Mission High School are: Selena Anzaldua, Cindy Candanoza, Damaris De Los Santos, Karely Garcia, Vanessa Garcia, Nelida Garza, Cassandra Gonzalez, Maggie Jasso, Aimee Lopez, Itzel Lopez, Valerie Ochoa, Gabriel Olivarez, Ana Piedra, Tiana Rivas, Andrea Rodriguez, Cristal Rodriguez, Samantha Sanchez, Toni Villanueva.
The student trainers from Veterans Memorial High School are: Bryanna Barrera, Crystal Corona, Sammy De La Cruz, Kristina Guerrero, Phillip Guerrero, Dannayra Leal, Darianna Leal, Viviana Lopez, Elizabeth Ontiveros, Karina Romero-Gutierrez, Sujeivelis Rueda, Lilliana Salinas, Erica Trevino, Max Valdez.
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