Practice Delayed for Lack of Athletic Trainer

Most high schools in the state began practice Monday, but TVHS has yet to take the field. Meeting Tuesday morning to discuss options for fielding a temporary trainer were Tygarts Valley Middle-High School Athletic Director Mike DiPasquale, TVHS head football coach Chris Dorminey, Randolph County Schools Superintendent Pam Hewitt and Randolph County Emergency Medical Services director Kurt Gainer.

Having a trainer on hand is mandated by Randolph County BOE policy under Title 26, which states: “High schools that do not have an athletic trainer or an individual with limited athletic trainer authorization may not participate in football practices and games.”

Gainer agreed that either he or a member of his staff will serve as temporary athletic trainer for practices starting today, and continuing on Thursday and Friday.

DiPasquale said the team now would “be able to practice once a day, from 10 until 11:30 a.m., for the next couple of weeks, until we have a plan in place to take on a new permanent trainer.

“We’re grateful, because it’s really important for the guys to start to get in shape and work together, with our first game against Valley-Wetzel coming up on Aug. 26,” he said.

“We’re going to work this arrangement more or less on a week-to-week basis, until we find someone to step up. We’re looking for someone who really wants to be there to take care of the kids.”

Former TVMH athletic trainer James George stepped down in May to spend more time with his family, including his own son’s youth football activities. The job has been posted as available by the school board since that time.

“We certainly had no hard feelings about him going,” DiPasquale said. “It’s a large commitment for someone with a full-time job. He decided not to renew his EMT certification in May, after several years with us. He wants to spend more time with family, and we completely understand.”

DiPasquale referred to George as a “volunteer” but clarified that the athletic trainer position is a paid one, although – like many public school jobs – not a highly paid one.

In an ideal world, the school athletic trainer is also employed by the school in a teaching or other capacity. However, school officials have found no TVMH employees they could tap who had the necessary medical training. Besides licensed athletic trainers, other medical certifications are acceptable under school board regulations, including physician, physicians assistant, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, paramedic and EMT.

The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission is the main governing body of high school sports, cheerleading and marching bands in the state. It has worked closely with the State Department of Education in recent years to improve safety on the football field. New rules covering athletic trainers were promulgated in 2011. This season, the SSAC has limited two-a-day practices to every other day.

“Most high schools in our region do have a qualified athletic trainer,” said David Crawford, who holds that position at Elkins High School. “Tygarts Valley is the only one I know of who does not.”

Asked why he thought that was so, he said, “Frankly, in some areas there are not many who want to go through the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification coursework, or similar coursework approved by the state Board of Education, for the low level of pay that’s received.”

The good news is that Randolph County EMS has stepped up for now, and their limited athletic trainer authorization will let the Bulldogs get their season preparations underway.