Pre-Wrap

I don't know why this is so funny to me!!!!!

Athletic Trainers are Geniuses!!!!!!

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“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

― Albert Einstein

Many times, coaches and other staff find their way to a treatment table in my athletic training room...I can't count how many younger siblings I treat of formally injured athletes...and how many neighbors and neighbors' children have I evaluated for various injuries?  

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” ― George MacDonald

However,  if I tried to build a house, sail a boat, or even update my iPhone, I would appear dumb and, at the very least, inexperienced.  

People seek the advice of an athletic trainer because of the education and experience that an athletic trainer possesses.  Just as I would seek a builder if I wanted a new home...or ask  one of my cool uncles to take me out on their sailboat if I wanted to go sailing...or ask Josh to update my iPhone when it goes haywire, I go to the expert, the person that I feel is going to give me the most quality solution to my questions.  

As the profession and perception of athletic training evolves, there are a few questions that one should ask themselves.  Answering these questions will certainly define your role and show your expertise, not only to yourself and co-workers, but also to your stakeholders.

• What does our public value and how do we, as athletic trainers, cater to that?
• Athletic trainers must justify our value and tell the public why we are valuable.
• The appearance of disorganization is devastating to the public view.
• Too many people still think of ATs as ‘good ole boys’; These people do not know our capabilities.  We must inform them.  Give yourself credibility!  
• Define your individual function.  Define your overall purpose.  Perform your function in a way that serves that purpose.  
• You are the smartest person in your athletic training room.  Prove it.  

― A personal reflection of a lecture from Danny Lovett

Athletic trainers are geniuses in the athletic training room and whether you realize it or not, people know that!  

BISD Physical Day

Bryan ISD hosted the annual 'Physical Day' last Saturday and in doing so, we did something that we have never done before!  We offered FREE immunizations and $15 ECGs!!!  

The immunizations were provided by the Texas A&M Health Science Center in what they call the Health Circus.  The Health Circus offers a wide range of services, including glucose checks, dental screenings and they even have door prizes!  I saw several young children who had received brand new bike helmets!!!!

The ECGs were offered by The Cypress ECG Project.  We had around 60 people take advantage of this amazing opportunity!  We anticipate that more people will participate next year with increased awareness.  

Below is the flyer that I made for the event.  I used easel.ly to make it (It was kinda hard to get used to but once you know your tools, its 'easy' to make a catchy poster!).  Also, Mrs. Brewer in our Art Department had them printed on their large printers!!!!

We did over 100 more physicals this year than we did last year.  A big thank you to Sandy Farris, BISD's Communications Director, for helping us to promote the event!  Also, we had many physicians, including Dr. Gill, Dr. Distefano, Dr. Barrow, and Dr. Seabolt who gave up their Saturday to make this a success!  Coaches from the middle schools and both high schools aided in vital ways as well.  Not to mention the graduate assistants who gained valuable experience in the process!

Well this is what my Saturday consisted of.  If you are hosting a similar event at your school, I hope that you are successful.  I also would like to suggest to you to seek out the opportunities available to you that would enhance your athletes' health and safety.  Some of our athletes were recommended to have a cardiac screen due to the findings on their PPE.  Since we offered the ECGs onsite, we were able to 'knock that out' with minimal cost and without a trip out of town to a pediatric cardiologist!

If you would like to know more about how all of this was coordinated, please email me!

What have you been up to?

The Bryan ISD athletic trainers have been busy this semester!  The team of 4 athletic trainers have worked to improve awareness about the athletic training profession and also re-evaluate the current policies and procedures that are in place to keep Bryan ISD athletes safe and healthy!  Here is a review of some of the efforts that we accomplished this year:

• Developed the Bryan ISD Athletic Health Care Team, members include:
• The head athletic trainers from both high schools in Bryan ISD, Josh Woodall and myself
• Athletic Director, Harry Francis
• Bryan ISD Lead Nurse, Sherri Meckel
• Bryan ISD Junior High Nurse Liaison, Alice Walker
• Bryan ISD Executive Director of Support Services, Grady Slaydon
• Team Physician, Dr. Kory Gill
• Nutrition Liaison, Dr. Randi Boleman

• Hosted a Town Hall Meeting



Photo from KBTX.com

• Provided a chance for athletes, parents and any member of the community to learn about the risks and benefits of sport, what health and safety precautions are put in place for the athletes at Bryan ISD and what serious illness and injuries parents need to be on the look out for!  A Q&A session  was also provided.  Local media covered the event, thanks to Sandy Farris, Bryan ISD's Communications Director.  

• Re-developed the Sports Medicine Manual-Some updates include:
• Baseline Peak Flow Meter Readings for asthmatics
• EMS surveys for after emergencies [Some other great tips are included in the latest NATA News-5 Ways to Foster Better Relationships with your EMS Teammates, page 36]
• EAPs for when BISD venues are reserved by outside organizations

• In addition to the discounted ($10) PPEs that BISD offers, we are also offering:
• Free vaccinations - Brought to our attention by Dr. Kory Gill and made possible by the TAMU Health Science Center-Health Circus
• $15 Electrocardiograms - Josh Woodall did the leg work to get the Cypress ECG Project to provide the amazing service!
• All of this will be available on Saturday, May 18th at the BHS Silver Cafeteria.  Doors open at 9:00 am and close at noon.

• Safe Sports School Award
• Josh and I applied for, and will be receiving, the Safe Sport School Award through the NATA!  

Photo from www.athletictrainers.org

• Met with Physicians that are not Team Doctors
• This provided a great opportunity for us to introduce ourselves and inform physicians about the resources that athletes have at Bryan ISD.  The information was well received!!!

• Talked with State Representatives



Photo from Wikimedia Commons

• We have also made a trip to Austin and will be making another on Wednesday.  The last trip we took provided an opportunity to talk with representatives about SB 505.  You can find out who represents you by going here.  Once you locate your representative, give them a call and let them know that you want them to support SB 505!  For more information on SB 505, go here.  

I hope that you are as excited about your profession as we are!  If each of us makes a difference in our own workplace, imagine the change that would be made in the profession as a whole.  If you have any questions about the opportunities listed above, do not hesitate to email Josh or myself!  We would love to collaborate with you!!!

The Greatest Compliment

What does a compliment sound like to you?

Is it a simple, "Thanks."? 

Compliments lurk all around, you just may not recognize them!!!  I have come up with some of my favorite compliments, from students, staff and parents:

"Have a good day."

"Ope! Let me get my trash."

"Mrs. Woodall, man, she don't play!"

"Mrs. Woodall, am I too late for treatment?"

"Humph! I never knew that."

"How did you know to ask me that question?"

"Can I wait in here for my ride?"

"I'm going to the front office, do you need anything while I'm up there?"

"I brought you a sweet tea with no ice from Chichen Express!"

"Thank you for calling me about my child's injury."

All of these examples sound like someone who has thought about something that I did and chose to take the next step in building a relationship.  They are all things that do not have to be said, but because they were, it put a smile on my face...even if only in secret...cause Mrs. Woodall don't play!

But what is the greatest compliment that can be given an athletic trainer that shows the utmost gratitude?  Is it: 

When an athlete casually says, "I could be an athletic trainer!"  after merely cutting off his ankle tape?  

or...

When students, who have had no athletic experience, wander into your facility and try to stay as long as they can, for no good reason.

or...

When several athletes who have been treated for injuries at the same time can say, in unison, what the treatment for a new injury is..."Ice it."

Nah!  I believe that the greatest showing of appreciation and gratitude is this:

When one of the athletes that had received long-term care in your facility, decides to go into the athletic training profession.

This made my heart happy :)

Athletic Trainer Infographic

Every Athletic Trainer has a Story

I enjoy history.  I enjoy looking at old photographs, watching the History Channel, hearing stories of 'how it used to be'...you know, nostalgia.  I think that history has such an important role in every aspect of life.  In some cases, history is crucial as we can learn from successes and mistakes.  In other cases, which may not seem as crucial, it is to remember those who laid the ground work for today and the future.  I would argue that remembering those who laid the athletic training profession's foundation is, in fact, crucial.  

I 'happened' into this profession on a suspicion that I would find a career path that I would enjoy.  My little 2A community of Kerens, Texas did not employ an athletic trainer.  I played sports and if you got hurt bad enough, then you pretty much just became the 'manager' for that sport.  I remember that my high school counselor got on the PA and mentioned a summer camp opportunity that focused on athletic training..."What is this?" I thought.  So, I packed my bags with Ashley Allen and off we went to Nacogdoches, Texas for a camp at SFA (see picture below).  Man was I a fish out of water!  I had never held a roll of tape in my life and ice bags were a foreign concept.  Taping contest????  What????  

Some time after that, I got onto the Yahoo search engine (google did not exist) and typed in 'sports + medicine'.  I knew that I wanted to stick with sports and my older sister, Jill, was in nursing school, which interested me.  Guess what I found?  Yup, a whole realm that I never knew existed.  Somehow, I found my way to Sam Houston State University.    So, that is where it began for me.

The more I learn about the history of this profession, the more impressed I am.  As long as there have been sports, there have been injuries and as long there have been injuries, there has surely been someone compelled to help and get the athlete back on their feet again.  

Athletic training in BC times was nothing more than a 'rub' or 'poultices' (Arnheim).  And now, athletic training has developed into a healthcare profession that continues to evolve.  Just this week, athletic trainers are finding out that the Associated Press is including the proper terminology in their Stylebook (http://members.swata.org/content.php?319-Exciting-News-regarding-Athletic-Training-Terminology!!!)...this is the AT's equivalent to 'The Arnheim'.  

Growth in the athletic training profession doesn't just take many, many people, working toward one goal.  It takes persistence, re-evaluation of goals, accountability, and, most importantly, remembering our past.  One of my favorite people is Paul Zeek (pictured below).  He was the first licensed athletic trainer in the united states.  You can find him at the annual SWATA conference.  He seems eager to talk with anyone and has always been a pleasure to visit with.  

I would love to hear commentary from Mr. Zeek regarding the evolution of the profession.  When he started his career, there was no CAATE, NATA Research and Education Foundation or state organizations.  His position was 'trainer' to most people.  There was no choice between 'internship' and 'accredited'.  Were there 'practice models' and 'clinically relevant research'? Was there 'name confusion' when he said that he was an athletic trainer?  The path that this profession has taken started way before Mr. Zeek.  However, creating a licensure was probably one of the  first major milestone that the profession had ever seen!!!  

In the short time that I have been in the profession, my passion for it has only grown.  It grew exponentially on the night of September 2, 2011 when a football player collapsed and was experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  The responsibility and the expectation of care fell on athletic trainers that night.  Because of proper care, that athlete is now healthy and attending Rice University.  

I hope that the passion that started you out in the beginning is still there.  That you have the desire to grow with the profession...or better yet, give the profession a boost with your involvement.  Those who managed a career out of rubs and poultices deserve to be remembered and honored.  What better way to do that than to continue the good name of this profession.  

What is your story?  How did you get started in all of this?  How are you involved?  Do you still have that passion?

PS:  A wonderful history book is 'Far Beyond the Shoe Box' by Richard G. Ebel.  

People Watching

I LOOOOOOOVE to 'People Watch'!  It's my favorite.  I once watched a woman for several minutes as she, from the best that I could tell, tried to remove a spider web that had surely attacked her.  Another person was picking his nose.  He was so comfortable doing this that you would think that he was the only one in the whole entire world!  Diggin' for gold, I tell ya'!

However, that being said, I wonder who is 'people watching' me?!?!  How many times has someone nudged their friend and said, "Oh. My. Gosh!  Did you just see Woodall (fill in the blank)!?!?!"  Ugh!  How many times have I done something so embarrassing that someone chose to watch me, instead of the game!  Plenty of times, I am sure!  I can be cluelessly animated at times.  

My point here is that we are all being watched, even when we are not the center of attention.  Imagine standing on the sideline of a mundane evening in the spring.  You are chatting quietly with a coach from another sport that has wandered onto the sideline.  One eye is on the field and the other is on the bench, making sure that all is as calm as it appears.  All in one moment, all at the same time, multiple 'people watchers' could be watching you.  All of which would have a different opinion of you and what you do.   

• One person could be scowling at you because you followed policy and procedure, which meant that things didn't go their way.
• Another could be appreciating you from a distance because their child was treated well and was taken care of.
• Yet another could be  plotting against you because your goal of injury prevention doesn't mesh with their goal of winning at all cost.
• One more could be feeling sorry for you because you 'do not have a life'.
• A whole slew of students could be grumbling because seeing you just reminded them about morning treatments.  
• Every once in a while you might get someone who looks at you from a distance and instantly knows that they would be in the best care possible should tragedy strike.   

If I had to guess, I would imagine that many 'people watchers' look at us with bewilderment.  "Who is this person that is ALWAYS here?"  or "How can I get on the sideline, too?!?" or "I'm not sure who that is, but they seem to be in charge when there is an injury."  For many reasons, I think that most people are confused about us!  Maybe they had an athletic trainer when they were in high school and because of the ever changing profession, they don't understand it anymore...or they never really understood it in the first place.  Maybe, like me, they didn't have an athletic trainer in high school.  The thought is outrageous to them.  

I challenge you to always be on your best behavior!  We are being watched.  For many different reasons, we are being watched.  Days get long and the evenings get even longer.  I know that in the spring we are clocking about 75 hours a week.  Stay professional and stay positive.  You very well may be the first person that an athlete sees at school and also the last.  You have a unique opportunity to set a kiddo up for success for the day, and also to send them home with a positive attitude.  Use this to your advantage!  You might just accidentally promote the profession in the process!

Second Impact Syndrome

Funnies that are not Original to Woodall...But Still Pretty Dang Funny!

FERPA

Glucose Tablets

Concussion

TRAINER

Functional Testing

Core Temperature

ImPACT Test

It's Probably just a Sprain

Keep Calm...I AM THE ATHLETIC TRAINER

In a Perfect World

Five little monkeys, jumping on the bed.  

One fell off and bumped his head.  

Mother called the doctor and the doctor said, 

"Why didn't you go to your athletic trainer before coming to see me?!?  Don't you know that they could have gone ahead and diagnosed your concussion after comparing their evaluation to your baseline, started a daily symptom check, told you to NOT take Ibuprofen, filled out a Secondary Insurance Claim Form, and notified your coach and teachers of your symptoms?!?  I will write you a note that says that you must check in with your athletic trainer daily for a symptom re-check and to progress through the RTP Protocol once symptom free.  Next time, go see your athletic trainer first!"