Española Valley High School has finally found an athletic trainer after an 18-month-long search.
David Maldonado, a 2015 New Mexico State University athletic training graduate, will fill the role for the 2015-16 academic year.
“I really like what they have here and what they’re striving to become,” he said.
Maldonado, who begins his time as athletic trainer on a one-year contract, fills the void left by former athletic trainer Ralph Medina, who retired from the position in 2014. His pro-rated salary for working 161 of the 2015-16 academic year’s 184 days, will be $30,042.60, with a base salary of $34,334.
“We were looking for somebody for months and months,” District Athletic Director Eric Vigil said. “We had limited people apply and back out for whatever reason.”
Maldonado, who recently accepted a graduate assistant athletic trainer position at New Mexico Highlands University, contacted the District with a renewed interest, after he realized he wasn’t making enough at Highlands to get by, Vigil said.
Maldonado said he wanted to work at Española because it was a larger high school.
“I’m really excited to be a part of them because they’re just trying to change the image of what people think of Española,” Maldonado said.
Maldonado, an Estancia native, previously worked at Gadsden High School, Centennial High School and had rotations at three different clinics, while he was a student at New Mexico State, before coming to Española.
As athletic trainer, he will work with every sport at the high school and be present at all home events, traveling to select road football games and out-of-town tournaments.
“If an injury does occur, I clinically diagnose them and give them (athletes) to higher medical professionals that can get them back on the field as fast as possible,” he said.
Maldonado, who began work with the District Sept. 14, has already worked with the volleyball, cross country and football teams, and improved athletes’ health.
“It’s been pretty beneficial for us,” cross country coach Julio Trujillo said. “Right now, when we have injured people, he actually takes complete control over that stuff, so he helps us out.”
Maldonado has roamed the sidelines at after-school football and cross country practices, and is constantly taping and wrapping ankles and wrists, and working with athletes with injuries.
“In terms of preventing, getting all the wrapping done prior to practice, that’s very helpful,” Trujillo said. “It’s really helping our kids, we’re appreciative of it.”
While some student athletes play multiple sports that sometimes conflict with each other, Maldonado said he encourages multiple-sport athletes.
“Most college scouts, when they’re looking for players, they like to see players that are playing multiple sports,” Maldonado said. “Yes, there’s a higher risk of injury because they’re on the field more, but it also prevents injury because they’re always in athletic shape.”
Vigil said Maldonado will have an office at the High School and will occasionally work at athletic events at other District schools as well.
Maldonado said he also hopes to develop an athletic training program at the high school, something not currently offered.
“They can learn the trade and hopefully (we) get a couple of students that come out of Española that want to be athletic trainers,” he said.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://www.riograndesun.com/articles/2015/10/01/sports/doc560c5bb45772e208275702.txt