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Athletic Trainer picks Bearcats over Broncos

Article reposted from Hillsboro Star Journal
Author: DAVID COLBURN

Athletic trainer and 2004 Goessel High School graduate Nick Peters was perhaps on the verge of something big as he was beginning a second year of working with the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

Having completed a college internship with the Tennessee Titans and with two years of advanced internship experience with the Broncos, Peters might well have gone on to a career in the pros.

But fate intervened in the form of a former colleague at his graduate school alma mater, Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.

“I always knew if something came up I would look at Northwest,” Peters said. “I already had returned to Denver for my second year, and then a position came open in June of 2012. The head athletic trainer, Kelly Quinlin, called and said, “What do you think about coming back and doing men’s basketball?’”

Peters had developed close relationships with Northwest athletics staff during a graduate assistantship there, and it was a full-time job with benefits.

With the Broncos’ blessing, Peters left one of the NFL’s most successful franchises and the nation’s 19th largest metropolitan area for the Bearcats and Maryville, population 11,800.

“This is a pretty small town; it’s half the size of Newton,” Peters said. “It’s driven by farmers, industry, and the university. There’s no other place in NCAA Division II that compares to it.”

What didn’t change was being immersed in an athletic culture dedicated to winning. Northwest has won six Division II football championships, and Peters was on the bench in March when the men’s basketball team won its first national championship.

“My focus for the final game was to make sure that each player stayed hydrated,” Peters said. “I got to climb the step ladder and snip my piece of nylon. But the head coach always gets to cut the last loop so he can hoist the net for the media.”

The biggest change for Peters at Northwest was having the responsibility to make decisions on an individual athlete’s status.

“I was making the calls,” he said. “I was decidinig if people would practice or sit or have to go see a doctor. That’s the hard part, making decisions that could affect the team when they weren’t expecting it.”

Young players who have been reluctant to sit out have come around when trade-offs have been explained.

“A lot of times it’s sitting an athlete down and saying, ‘You can be at 70 percent for the next two weeks, and the coach will be upset, or we can rest you for five days,’” Peters said.

There are numerous aspects about Northwest’s athletic culture that are relevant for high school and junior high athletes looking ahead to the opening day of practice and competition, Peters said.

“It’s kind of become the motto that ‘culture wins,’” he said. “They recruit players who want to win, not players who want to score 40 points a game. If they’re not going to play as a team, they’re not going to play here. There’s no ego; there’s none of that. It makes it a lot more fun to be around.”

Students considering playing in college should watch how they use social media, as recruiters will look for clues as to how players might fit with the culture.

“When you have social media, if you put it out there, they’re going to find it,” Peters said.

Athletes benefit from playing more than one sport, Peters said.

“On our football team, almost 90 percent of them played more than one sport in high school,” Peters said. “The more things you do, the better your body becomes at adapting to different situations.”

Staying hydrated is particularly important in warm weather and during increased activity, Peters said.

“Water is plenty good,” he said. “Any kind of electrolyte replacement isn’t bad, especially after practice or games. Before and during, water will do the trick. Some people sweat more than others, so electrolytes might be helpful for them.”

Bearcats players forego traditional stretching routines in favor of more active warm-up routines.

“They do more of a dynamic workout, so it’s not a static stretch,” Peters said. “They’re moving through lines, they’re going short distances to get the body temperature up, get the blood moving. Some people may need a little extra with hamstrings or lower backs.”

Students with pre-existing injuries should work closely with coaches, trainers, and medical professionals to develop routines that acclimatize them to their sport.

Weightlifting and conditioning routines will help to prevent fatigue and keep players healthy.

“The more fatigued you get, the higher chance you have of getting hurt,” Peters said. “Muscular injuries happen more at the end of games.”

While coaches and trainers can help, it’s important for athletes to pay attention to any signs of fatigue, injury, or illness and take steps to remain healthy, Peters said.

“Nobody knows their bodies as well as they do,” he said. “Don’t try to cut corners on that. You only get one opportunity with your body, and taking care of it now is a lot easier than taking care of it later.”

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Buschmann, Paynter Join New England College Athletic Training Staff

Article reposted from New England College Pilgrims
Author: New England College Pilgrims

Heather Jones, head athletic trainer at New England College, is pleased to announce the additions of Cole Buschmann and Stephanie Paynter as assistant athletic trainers. They both began their tenure at NEC on August 14th.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cole and Stephanie to the athletic training staff at NEC,” said Jones. “They are highly qualified and will make an immediate impact in the wellbeing of our student-athletes.”

Buschmann comes to Henniker from Long Island, where he most recently worked at Herricks High School and NYU Winthrop Hospital as an athletic trainer. Prior to that, he worked at Babylon High School and the Horace Mann School.

A 2011 graduates of Keene State College, Buschmann obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in athletics training. He is a BOC certified, is certified in strength and conditioning by the CSCS-NSCA and is licensed by the state of New Hampshire.

Paynter is a familiar face in Henniker, as she worked at NEC as a temporary assistant athletic trainer in the spring of 2015. Since then, she worked at Mount Holyoke College as a graduate assistant athletic trainer and then at the Eaglebrook School in the same role.

A 2014 graduate of Plymouth State University, Paynter obtained her Bachelor of Science in athletic training. She also holds a Master of Science in exercise science from Springfield College. She is also a BOC certified athletic trainer and is licensed in the state of New Hampshire.

Athletic Director Lou Izzi said of the hires: “We are pleased to welcome Stephanie and Cole to NEC.  Both of them bring quality experience and a working knowledge of the sports we offer.  Stephanie and Cole are outstanding additions to our team as we now have increased our athletics training staff to four full-time athletic trainers.”

Athletic Training Sport Assignments 2017-18
ATC Fall Winter Spring
Heather Jones Volleyball Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Alpine Skiing
Men’s Lacrosse
Rebecca Gregoire Men’s and Women’s Soccer Women’s Ice Hockey
Alpine Skiing
Women’s Lacrosse
Stephanie Paynter Field Hockey
Cross Country
Wrestling Baseball
Cole Buschmann Rugby
Cross Country
Men’s Ice Hockey Softball
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Jazz Name Eric Waters as Head Athletic Trainer

Article reposted from NBA.com
Author: NBA.com

16-year veteran of the league, former NBA Trainer of the Year joins Utah staff

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has hired Eric Waters as Head Athletic Trainer. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

A veteran in the athletic training field, Waters comes to the Jazz after spending 12 seasons (2004-16) as the head athletic trainer for the Washington Wizards, where was selected as the NBA’s Athletic Trainer of the Year by the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association (NBATA) following the 2009-10 season. He has also served as an athletic trainer for the USA Men’s National Team since 2014.

Certified and licensed as an athletic trainer (ATC), strength and conditioning coach (CSCS), corrective exercise specialist (CES) and performance enhancement specialist (PES), Waters previously served as both Secretary of the NBATA, as well as the association’s Eastern Conference representative, and was a featured speaker at the 2010 National Athletic Trainers Association Conference in Philadelphia.

Prior to joining the Wizards, Waters spent four years as the assistant athletic trainer of the Chicago Bulls from 2000-2004. His career has also included assistantships within the athletic departments of Northwestern University and the University of Iowa, and he spent two seasons with NFL Europe working as the head athletic trainer for the London Monarchs and the assistant athletic trainer for the Rhein Fire, following an internship with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

Waters received bachelor’s degrees in both exercise science and psychology from the University of Iowa in 1995 and a master’s in exercise science from Boise State University in 1998. Waters has continued to enhance his skillset throughout his career by traveling abroad to study the latest high performance sport and sports medicine techniques and practices, and is currently pursuing a master’s in high performance sport (MPHS) degree from Australian Catholic University located in Australia.

Very involved in community efforts, Waters has made multiple international trips in support of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders efforts, and is also active in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program among others.

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Jazz Name Mike Elliott Vice President of Performance Health Care

Article reposted from NBA.com
Author: NBA.com

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has hired Mike Elliott as Vice President of Performance Health Care. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

In this newly created role, Elliott will lead all of the Jazz’s medical and sports science efforts, including oversight of both the team’s training and strength-and-conditioning programs.

Elliott, a former NBA Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year winner, comes to the Jazz after spending the previous 14 seasons (2003-17) as a member of the Phoenix Suns’ athletic training staff, the last two as that team’s director of performance. In addition to his role as director of performance, Elliott continued to serve as the club’s head strength and conditioning coach and assistant athletic trainer, his eighth season holding those dual positions. With those roles, he was responsible for all aspects of player strength and conditioning and worked alongside their vice president of athlete care on daily recognition, care and treatment of team-related medical issues.

While there, Elliott also engineered an overhaul of the Suns’ nutrition program, focusing on educating players to optimize performance and recovery with a commitment to well-sourced, whole, organic foods.

Originally joining the Suns full-time in 2003-04 as assistant athletic trainer, Elliott was named NBA Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by the National Basketball Strength and Conditioning Association (NBSCA) following the 2013-14 season. Elliott also sits on the executive board for the NBSCA and has served as the lead strength and conditioning coach for the British Men’s National Team, joining their program in 2010 as the team trained for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

A native of Phoenix, Elliott is a certified athletic trainer (ATC), performance enhancement specialist (PES) and corrective exercise specialist (CES) from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). He received his master of science degree in performance enhancement and injury prevention from California University at Pennsylvania in 2005 and did his undergraduate work in exercise science at Arizona State University, where he was in the athletic training program.

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Mississippi High School gets First AT

Article reposted from Picayune Item
Author: Taylor Welsh

Pearl River Central’s football team has a new face on the sideline.

Melissa Loewen will serve as the Blue Devils’ first full-time athletic trainer in the school’s recent history, working with all of the teams within the school district.

“I am excited to undertake the challenge as the first full-time athletic trainer here. It’s a big responsibility, but I am confident I will contribute to the school’s success and hope to be here for a long time.”

Last year, PRC Head Coach Larry Dolan said the football team was fortunate to have Highland Community Hospital’s help throughout the season.

“Highland did a great job and we appreciate everything they did for us,” Dolan said.

This year, Ochsner Sports Medicine Institute contacted PRC to offer their services to provide one sports trainer for mostly every team at the school.

Loewen graduated from East Central University, where she earned a bachelor’s in athletic training. Later, she earned a master’s in education with a concentration in sports administration. Now in her third year as a certified athletic trainer, Loewen brings experience and optimism to the Blue Devil staff.

“My job is to take the load off of the coaching staff and help these players either recover from injuries or learn how to prevent them from happening,” Loewen said.

Dolan said Loewen has already demonstrated the importance of her role on the staff, as she is helping PRC’s starting running back Louis Reece recover from an ACL injury that occurred during the offseason.

Every day, Loewen can be spotted assisting the injured Blue Devil players on the sidelines, preparing to take on the 2017 season, which starts Aug. 18.

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ADAM ELSIEIDY JOINS GEORGIAN COURT ATHLETIC TRAINING STAFF

Article reposted from GCU Lions
Author: GCU Lions

The Georgian Court University Department of Athletics & Recreation is pleased to announce Adam Elsieidy as the newest member of the Lions’ athletic training staff.

Prior to his appointment, Adam served as an athletic trainer and strength & conditioning specialist with NJ Spine & Wellness in his hometown of Freehold. A graduate of Temple University, Adam completed a wide variety of clinical rotations during his collegiate years, including semester-long stints with fellow Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) institutions Chestnut Hill College and the former Philadelphia University (now Jefferson University).

The newest member of the GCU family maintains an athletic training licensure in the state of New Jersey. He is also a NSCA certified strength & conditioning specialist and a functional range conditioning mobility specialist.

“Adam came highly recommended from colleagues within the CACC where he had completed clinical internships while a student at Temple University,” stated Coordinator of Sports Medicine, Joe Friedrich. “Adam’s familiarity with this level of competition and his background in rehabilitation as well as strength, mobility and functional range conditioning are a great match for our program needs at this time.  I look forward to Adam joining Caitlyn Grabowski, ATC and myself in providing for the health and safety of our 270+ student athletes; his expertise in performance training and injury prevention will be welcomed by all 13 of our athletic programs.”

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Cabrini University Hires 2 New Athletic Trainers

Article reposted from Cabrini College Athletics
Author: Cabrini College Athletics

Head athletic trainer Rachael Flanders recently announced the addition of two full-time athletics trainers, as Shawn Farmer and Samantha Maiorino have joined the Cavaliers’ staff.

“Because of their knowledge and various athletic training experiences, Shawn and Samantha have so much to offer the student-athletes at Cabrini,” Flanders commented. “I look forward to the addition of such enthusiastic individuals to Cabrini’s athletic department.”

Farmer comes to Cabrini after completing his master’s degree in Exercise Science and Physical Education at McDaniel College. During his time at McDaniel, Farmer provided primary athletic training coverage to a variety of programs, including wrestling, field hockey, volleyball, cross country, basketball and softball.

No stranger to Cabrini, Farmer was also a student trainer for the Cavaliers while he was an undergraduate at Eastern University. Farmer worked with Flanders during the Fall 2012 semester, assisting the Blue and White’s field hockey, soccer, volleyball and cross country teams.

Maiorino comes to Cabrini after completing a graduate internship at Edinboro University, where she provided primary athletic training for the Fighting Scots’ volleyball, basketball and softball programs.  Maiorino also provided coverage for the 2017 PSAC wrestling and indoor track and field championships.

Prior to her time at Edinboro, Maiorino gained extensive experience as an undergraduate at Lock Haven University.  In addition to working with the Bald Eagles’ track, men’s basketball and football teams, Maiorino also worked with student-athletes at Gwynedd Mercy, Lycoming, Central Mountain High School and the Lock Haven Rehabilitation Center.

Farmer and Maiorino replace Kelsey Boulier and Zack Hackett, who left the University during the summer.

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Connor Chrisman Joins Staff at Piedmont College

Article reposted from Piedmont College Athletics
Author: Danielle Percival

Piedmont College Head Athletic Trainer Matt McKinney has announced the hiring of Connor Chrisman as Assistant Athletic Trainer following the completion of his graduate degree at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Chrisman served as an athletic training graduate assistant with the Bobcats covering women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, men’s basketball, baseball and men’s and women’s cross country and track and field.

“We are really excited for Connor to be joining us,” McKinney said. “He has a wealth of experience for someone so young in the profession. It’s nice to fill out our staff with someone so qualified.”

Chrisman also worked previously as a Summer Athletic Trainer with the University of Virginia in 2016 and 2017 assisting with various camps including football, swimming, baseball, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, and volleyball. He also worked as a Physical Therapy Aide with Park Physical Therapy in 2015 assisting with treatment and rehabilitation for patients.

He also added valuable experience to his resume working at The Spring League at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The Spring League serves as an instructional league and showcase for professional football talent and is a scouting event for the NFL allowing GM’s, scouts, and player personnel directors an opportunity to see every player in one setting.

“I’m excited to join the Piedmont athletic training staff and begin working with the student-athletes here,” Chrisman said. “I want to thank Matt McKinney and Jim Peeples for allowing me to take the next step in my career. I believe that Piedmont is an institution staffed with talented individuals and I look forward to joining that group.”

Chrisman earned his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from East Stroudsburg University in May of 2014 serving as president of the Athletic Training Club in 2013-14. Three years later, Chrisman completed his Masters in Athletic Training at West Virginia Wesleyan College graduating in May of 2017.

Chrisman is certified through the BOC and licensed as an Athletic Trainer. A member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), he also retains certification with the American Heart Association.

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Ryan Melligan Named New Head Athletic Trainer At Maine West

Article reposted from Journal Online
Author:  DION MARTORANO

Five-year Maine West High School employee Ryan Melligan will replace longtime athletic director Chuck Marth, who recently retired after 17 years.

“We appreciate all that Chuck has done for us and wish him nothing but the best,” Maine West Athletic Director Jarett Kirshner said. “Fortunately for us, we had Ryan Melligan to step in and he has demonstrated the ability to do the job at all levels and areas.”

Melligan, who previously worked at Niles West, is already familiar with the athletes, having spent the last few years as an assistant athletic trainer at the Des Plaines school.

Melligan has previously worked with the Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Sky. Melligan has worked at Athletico Physical Therapy in Des Plaines since 2012, where he served as the north region clinical CPR coordinator and instructor.

Melligan also certified all the Maine Township coaches in 2015-16 in CPR.

As an assistant, Melligan oversaw many duties, including evaluating and diagnosing initial injuries; educating athletes about their specific injuries; acting as a liaison between family physician and specialists; and maintaining an accurate record of injuries and treatments provided.

The Schaumburg resident graduated from North Central College in 2012 with a bachelor’s of art in Athletic Training and a minor of Psychology. While at NCC, Melligan earned the Outstanding Leadership Award for his work as the Cardinal athletic training student club treasurer.

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Peoria Rivermen get new athletic trainer, Brian Riedel

Article reposted from Journal Star
Author: 

Brian Riedel joined the Peoria Rivermen as the new trainer for the SPHL team on Sunday.

The Midwest Orthopaedic Center employee is from Sun Prairie, Wis., and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point last spring.

He worked there as an athletic training student for the men’s hockey program, and was also a credentialed USA Hockey official.

“I am looking forward to growing as an athletic trainer with the Peoria Rivermen,” said Riedel, 23. “I’ve moved to Peoria, and am excited to be a community member.”

The Rivermen open the 2017-18 SPHL season in late October.

“We are excited to welcome Brian to the Rivermen family through our partnership with Midwest Orthopaedic,” Rivermen owner Bart Rogers said. “We pride ourselves on making sure our athletes are in the best possible shape, and when injuries do occur, we know they are going to be taken care of and rehabbed by the best orthopedic group in our area.”

RIVER READINGS: The Rivermen have hired Michael Miles as a ticket sales executive, handling group and single-game ticket sales. Miles, 38, holds a degree in sports management, and was a ticket sales and service intern with the St. Louis Cardinals last spring.