What do you wish more students and student-athletes knew about resources on campus?
I wish more students were aware of the resources that are available to them on campus for improving their mental health. With mental health wellness becoming more understood in recent years, Allegheny College made it a priority to make a variety of services available to its students:
Edinboro Counseling and Psychological Services are located at Winslow Health Center on campus. Call (814)734-3975 or walk in and drop off your name and number to schedule an appointment at your convenience. State that you are an Allegheny College Student. For more information, contact [email protected].
CampusCare 98point6 — virtual healthcare service for students seeking assistance with stress, depression, fear and anxiety, family or relationship related issues, etc. Download the 98point6 app to get started.
Which sports do you mainly work with?
The sports that I primarily work with here at Allegheny College are field hockey and cross country in the fall, men’s and women’s basketball in the winter, and women’s lacrosse and track and field in the spring, although our staff assists with providing medical coverage for all sport teams on campus throughout the school year. We also assist with providing medical coverage at 10 local high schools across Crawford County, mainly over winter break and the last month or so of the spring semester.
What made you want to work in athletic training or work with athletes?
I have always had a love for sports since I was young. I grew up playing basketball, as well as running track and cross country, but I enjoy watching all sports and love being surrounded by motivated athletes that enjoy healthy competition. I also enjoyed learning about the physical sciences growing up and was drawn specifically to human anatomy in my schooling, so I knew that I would enjoy working in a field that allowed me to deepen my knowledge in that topic.
The profession of athletic training provided me with an opportunity to work in the field of athletics and also be able to assist athletes in optimizing their health and athletic potential, which was exactly what I was looking for. Having dealt with a major knee injury myself, I sympathize with those that sustain injuries and are able to persevere through the strenuous rehab process and recover both mentally and physically from such difficult life challenges. Athletic training combines my love for athletics, my interest in anatomy and my passion for helping others.
What has your career journey looked like? What is one piece of advice you’d give to your past self?
Prior to college, I served in the U.S. Navy for seven years. While in the Navy, I met an athletic trainer that talked to me about the profession and allowed me to intern with him to learn more about what the job entailed. After spending time interning with him, I fell in love with the profession and decided to make the career change. I completed my undergrad at The University of North Carolina and graduate school at Ohio University, both for athletic training. After grad school, I started at Allegheny College in the fall of 2020 and have been working here since.
A piece of advice I would give my younger self is to be more patient. Looking back, oftentimes I was impatient or had a lot of anxiety associated with both working and completing assignments for school. If I could have been more patient with myself as well as others, I probably would have been more relaxed overall and able to appreciate each experience more.
What keeps you at Allegheny College? What’s your favorite part of working with athletes?
The relationships that I build with the athletes, coaches and other coworkers. Allegheny College provides a true sense of community, especially in the Department of Athletics. During the school year, we spend more time together than we do with our families, so it’s important to me to build strong relationships with those that I’m working with.
I also want student-athletes to feel safe and supported when they enter the athletic training room. Many student-athletes are from far away, so having a place where they know they can be themselves, feel heard, and also receive medical care is important for their “home away from home.”
My favorite part about working with student-athletes is being able to build close relationships with them and getting to see them grow as individuals both on and off the field.
Is there a piece of advice for someone starting or on their fitness journey?
Whether you are an active individual or someone looking to become more fit, find a form of exercise that brings you joy even on the coldest of mornings and rainiest of days because the key to optimizing your fitness potential is consistency. If you dread doing something, it’s obviously going to be harder to stay consistent with it. If you love the activity, it makes getting out of bed a little easier and the results will naturally follow.
Anything you want students at Allegheny to know about you or maybe a fun hobby of yours?
Being active and spending time with family and friends is very important to me. Whenever I have free time, I enjoy catching up with friends, going on hikes and exploring new areas with my family, getting lost in a good book or comic, and playing basketball with my fellow noon hoopers.
