athletics 201 Along with Harding’s athletic training curriculum recently being certified to enable students to take the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification test, the Athletic Trainers Organization was revamped. “The program here has recently been accredited, and our program is growing like never before,” senior Jeremy Carver said. “When I got here as a freshman, there were eight student trainers in all. Now there are over 40 enrolled in our program.” While the only fundraiser the club did this year was to work the concession stand at intramural games, Carver said that their main concentration was to get the organization started and reach out to other students that might be interested in athletic training. Obtaining national certification allowed graduates to practice as trainers. Just like any other medical field, a practitioner must be licensed by the state. Once certified, trainers could work on their own in high schools, colleges, athletic clinics or with professional sports teams. The Athletic Trainers Organization provided a convenient way for students to study for the exam. “There are around six of us that are planning on taking our certification exam, called the BOC, in April,” Carver said. “Most of us are all in the process of studying on our own, and [we] meet on Mondays to study together.” With the national accreditation came several changes to the curriculum. Freshmen were no longer able to work directly with an athletic team. Instead, they concentrated on their studies and prepared for the full-time work that was to come. At the sophomore level, students were required to work in the training room 20 to 30 hours per week, which let them practice alongside athletes and a professional trainer. “This helps us develop great relationships with the team because we work so closely with them,” graduate assistant James Meadows said. “It’s a great feeling to see the team go out and succeed.” Upper level students acted as the primary trainers for the sports team while keeping the coaches nearby for advice. “We have three years of field experience before we graduate because we are [at practice] everyday,” Meadows said. As more and more students chose athletic training as their major, they hoped to increase their involvement in the Athletic Trainers Organization and said that they were excited about the benefits the club provided. “This group has helped me see that I need to do my part in our local organization to not only help increase knowledge of the profession in our area but also at the state and national level so that athletic training will further be viewed as an allied health field,” senior Megan Lankford said. Kayla Studivan and Rachel Klemmer Prevention Sophomore Lacy Rush practices bandaging an ankle in the athletic training room on Feb. 3. “Being a part of the Athletic Trainers program gives me an opportunity to work one on one with trainers and athletes,” she said. Nick Michael Athletic Trainers Work Behind The Scenes Revelation Paintball Cheerleaders Row 1: S. Howell, D. Duffeld, B. Harden, M. McGehee, K. Kotcar. Row 2: H. Light, N. Oakes, L. Weeks. Row 3: S. Miller, J. Carroll, A. Dugan, J. Burleson. Row 1: H. Wamack, A. Kinslow, J. Dickerson, B. Wloszczynski. Row 2: L. Guthridge, J. Schol, D. Blair, P. Sherrod.
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