The Sturgis athletic training program stands on its own as one of the most successful in the state.
Jim “Doc” Lioy’s vision has correlated the program’s students to become doctors, head athletic trainers and graduate assistants in many states. Mackenzie Adams, 2010 Sturgis graduate and assistant athletic trainer at the high school, is adding to the list for Lioy’s program.
Adams has accepted a position to finish her master’s degree as well as be an athletic trainer for a high school in Waco, Texas.
“The cool thing about that whole process is that we provided one of our own an interim year between finishing school, getting licensed and moving on to graduate school,” Lioy said of Adams, who spent time as his assistant at Sturgis this past year. “This position for Mackenzie is a resume builder, it’s a nice option for her.”
The position for Adams is part of being a graduate assistant for Baylor University, but Adams will be the head athletic trainer for Crawford High School about 25 miles from the main campus. Adams said she loved the traditional feel of the high school when she went down for the interview.
“This is a golden opportunity, when I walked into the gym it was like an old ‘Hoosiers’ feeling, it’s very old, very traditional,” she said. “I love that classic sports environment in Texas.”
The school is comparable to Mendon or Centreville here in Michigan will fewer than 300 students. Adams said a large number of the students in the school play a varsity sport and high schools in Texas have a required class for athletes.
The class, known as an athletic period, is similar to a physical education (gym) class, but it’s more focused on the individual’s current sport for that season.
“It gives them another practice and conditioning for the day,” Adams said. “That’s one of the differences to high schools in Michigan.”
A recent graduate from Grand Valley State University, Adams said she prefers the high school ranks when it comes to athletic training. She was stationed as an athletic trainer for both baseball and track and field while on GVSU’s campus.
“There’s something about college sports that just became very monotonous, even when I was with the baseball team, and I love baseball as a sport, at that point you’re almost unfortunately waiting for something to happen so you can do your job,” she said. “The position I’m taking will allow me to be around the students on a daily basis and I like that teaching aspect.”
Lioy said he is very pleased with Adams new role, even though she will be leaving the Sturgis area. There have been dozens of Lioy’s pupils that have gone on to be successful in life through their careers related to athletic training and he said Adams will be the next one in line.
“When it’s all said and done for her, she’s going to succeed,” he said. “She’ll have her Masters, she’ll have all this experience, she’s going to be a great asset and continue the tradition.”
Adams said she’s ready to start her next chapter in life, but she will always cherish her time spent at Sturgis, from being a student-athlete to her time as Lioy’s assistant. She said Lioy always made the atmosphere a fun one, but also serious because there was a job to do.
“That’s always something I’ve admired, he truly cares about what he does and he gets the kids involved in athletic training and makes it fun for them,” she said. “It’s just one of the things I’ve learned from him — how to enjoy your job. It’s work, but he was able to show a way to turn that workplace into something that doesn’t feel like work.”
And through that work, Adams will move on to a small Texas town that once was the home of former President George W. Bush.
She was a successful student-athlete at Sturgis, but didn’t take her talents to the collegiate level. This is sort of like that, only obviously career-driven.
“It was humbling, to know people wanted me on a career-basis was exciting because it solidifies why I wanted to do this,” Adams said. “They want me because of what I’ve done, my passion for what I do. I think that really spoke to them.”
Adams begins her position at the beginning of August.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.sturgisjournal.com/article/20150716/SPORTS/150719300