On any given game day, while the crowd focuses on the scoreboard, another team is hard at work on the sidelines.
The athletic training student aides at Canyon’s Sports Medicine Program tape ankles, respond to injuries, and assist in high-pressure situations, all under supervision.
But the program didn’t always look like this.
“The first year we started the program, we had only one student in the practicum after school…now we have about 25,” said Oakley Gillett, Patient Care Pathway Teacher.
Before students step onto the field, they must complete requirements that cover injury prevention, anatomy, and emergency response. They’re CPR-certified and trained in wound care, proper taping techniques, and sideline protocols before being cleared to participate.
“We’ve had the program so that I can provide opportunities for students who are interested in the field of sports medicine or maybe interested in the field or working in sports in some capacity,” said Gillett.
“Just having hands-on experience helps, and just learning how to communicate better with more intense situations or just being able to like handle multiple events happening in one day,” said Joseph Santiago, an Athletic Trainer and Student Aid.
That extra support makes a difference for Canyon’s athletic trainer.
“It’s really a blessing to have them because you know, we’re able to provide a lot more for our student athletes, where if it was just a sole provider, there wouldn’t be kind of the extra stuff we’re able to do,” said Jake Berkowitz, Canyon’s Lead Athletic Trainer.
From the sidelines to future careers in health care, this program is turning hands-on experiences into real opportunities.
