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!