The Job That Goes Unnoticed

Many of us look forward to attending or watching football games, especially at the collegiate and professional levels. The fast paced action, amazing athletic skills, and physical toughness draw us into the game and keep us emotionally involved on every down. We intently watch the players, the referees, the coaches, along with the announcers, bands, cheerleaders, dance teams, and mascots. Those are all important parts of the unique experience, but have you ever given much thought about an equally important group of Certified Athletic Trainers who are patrolling the sidelines?

It is not a job for the faint hearted. It requires an extraordinary degree of level headedness in what is often a pressure cooker environment. The players are extremely competitive by nature or they wouldn’t be playing football. They want to get back out on the field to rejoin the game. They don’t want to let their teammates down. Their adrenalin is running high and they may underestimate the severity of their injury, especially when it involves a collision and a possible concussion. The coaches want their first team on the field as much as possible. The first team has prepared the most and are the ones the coaches are counting on to execute their game plan. The fans are also anxious and looking for the top players to get off the training table with their helmet on and race back into the game. 

According to The National Athletic Trainers Association the listed requirements for being an athletic trainer are long. You have to have a certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification. Their job includes reviewing standards for the practice of athletic training and the education requirements.