Category: Professional Sports

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Lakers’ Marco Nuñez adapting to role as team’s head athletic trainer

Article reposted from San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Author: Mark Medina

As Marco Nuñez plopped into a booth in a Miami restaurant, it marked his first spare moment after grabbing 3-1/2 hours of sleep.

The previous night in Charlotte, Nuñez, in his first season as the Lakers head athletic trainer, treated Larry Nance Jr. after the reserve forward injured his left knee. Soon after, Nuñez scheduled Nance’s MRI for the next day before joining the team for the flight to Miami. Nuñez arrived late to the airport (1:30 a.m.), the hotel (3:30 a.m.) and his bed (4:30 a.m.).

Nuñez then woke up at 8 a.m. to finalize Nance’s MRI visit, secure a bus for practice and treat other players. Nuñez stayed busy after practice, taking Nance to his MRI appointment, awaiting the results and consulting with doctors. Nuñez then informed Nance, his agent and the Lakers about the bone bruise in Nance’s left knee that would sideline him for four weeks. Around 9 p.m., Nuñez finally ate dinner.

This schedule during a trip in late December captured Nuñez’s typical workload in that entails both treating injured players and handling logistics with the team’s travel. As the Lakers near the end of the 2016-17 season, Nuñez has grown accustomed to juggling various responsibilities during his first season as the Lakers’ head athletic trainer.

There have been a lot of days like this for Nuñez, in his first season in this role.

“I don’t know if I’ve had time to sit down and say what I like or don’t like,” Nuñez said. “I have hit the ground running. I’m just glad to keep going.”

Nuñez, who joked that he would have preferred sleeping in before practice then enjoying the beach, has refused to relax, though. To prepare for his “dream job,” Nuñez shortened his August vacation from two weeks to three days.

“About 30 years from now, I might regret doing that,” Nuñez said. “But at the moment, it felt like it was the right thing to do.”

When he joined the Lakers’ training staff for the 2008-09 season, Nunez wanted to prove himself worthy of being the future successor to Gary Vitti, the Lakers’ longtime head athletic trainer. Nuñez also declined opportunities to go elsewhere, including when the Lakers laid off part of their training staff to save money during the 2011 lockout. After Nuñez received an offer from another NBA team, the Lakers retained him.

“I wanted to come back here,” Nuñez said. “This was my goal.”

So, Nuñez became what Vitti called his “right-hand guy.” Vitti groomed and recommended him to become his successor once he retired last season, capping a 32-year stint during which Vitti kept the Lakers’ multi-million dollar players healthy enough to win eight NBA championships in 12 Finals appearances while also handling all of the team’s travel arrangements.

The nature of that relationship has since changed.

Vitti has remained under contract as an athletic training consultant. But since the Lakers fired longtime general manager Mitch Kupchak and executive Jim Buss on Feb. 21, Vitti has not been at any practices or home games. Vitti declined to comment about his lack of attendance and referred questions to the Lakers.

Team spokesperson Alison Bogli said Vitti remains welcome at games and at the facility. Bogli added that Lakers GM Rob Pelinka is evaluating Vitti’s role in various technology projects. Those have included talking with software engineers and analytics firms, meeting with vendors about wearable sensors and sneaker microchips, examining SportVU data and exploring trends in sports medicine and nutrition.

“I worked more than half of my life with the Lakers and look in the mirror and feel good about what I have given them,” Vitti said. “I gave them everything I had every single day. I will forever be grateful to (the late Lakers owner) Dr. (Jerry) Buss, a man I believe exemplified the most important human values in honesty, kindness and loyalty. It’s Jeanie (Buss’) team. It’s not my team. There’s nothing I can do. She’ll do what is best for the team.”

As for Nuñez, Vitti said, “He hasn’t had a shortage of stuff to deal with. He’s had a lot for a first-year guy. He’s gotten slammed. I don’t think he’s come up for air yet.”

EARNING TRUST

Vitti’s retirement party at Petros in Manhattan Beach last April showed Nuñez something as valuable as when he watched Vitti heal players.

Lakers luminaries expressed their affection for Vitti. Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Derek Fisher, A.C. Green and Mitch Kupchak were all in attendance, and that had more to do with the bond Vitti forged than it did with healing their wounds.

“That’s when it hit me,” Nuñez said. “I can be a great trainer. I can rehab a guy. I can treat a guy. I can tape a guy. But if I don’t have that trust or relationship with these players, this whole thing doesn’t really work.”

That played out in different ways for Vitti as a “contemporary” during the Showtime Era and a “father figure” in later decades.

Vitti and Johnson bonded over their charming personalities. Vitti then became one of Johnson’s confidants when he tested positive for HIV. Vitti and former Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal used to “fight all the time” over his work habits. The tension diminished when O’Neal showed his playfuness. While marveling at Kobe Bryant’s determination to play through pain, Vitti often tried to protect Bryant from himself.

Through those circumstances, Vitti followed two rules. He told players, “I will never lie to you, but I will never lie for you.” He told the Lakers’ front office, “You’ll know what you need to know. But if you don’t need to know it, you’re not going to know it.”

“If you have a superstar on your team and he is the best person, it makes life a lot easier. But if your superstar makes life difficult, that’s tough,” Vitti said. “(Marco) hasn’t had that test yet. But when it comes his way, as uncomfortable as it is, you have to stand up for what you believe.”

Still, Vitti observed Nuñez already has cultivated “good, solid relationships with all the players.” First-year Lakers coach Luke Walton added Nuñez has done “a phenomenal job” in managing a roster that has dealt with its share of injuries.

“Everything about him is really professional,” said second-year guard D’Angelo Russell, who has dealt with injuries to both knees this season. “He takes his time and pays attention to everything. Everything was hands on. He didn’t need to pass me to an assistant.”

Nuñez has fulfilled that job description with a blend of sympathy and humor.

When the Lakers initially suspected veteran guard Nick Young strained his right Achilles tendon against New Orleans in late November, Nuñez comforted Young. Once an MRI revealed a strained calf that would sideline Young for a far shorter window (six games), Nuñez jokingly teased Young for exaggerating the pain.

“Gary likes to talk. He’s a big-time storyteller. Marco likes to crack jokes more,” Young said. “It’s been great. He knows the balance between keeping guys healthy and being funny.”

While helping Nance heal his left knee amid a minutes restriction, Nuñez also accommodated Nance’s request to keep after him about cold tub recovery when he returned to the court.

“There’s a few times I hate the cold tub. So I know if it’s up to me, I won’t do it,” Nance said. “I trust him to do that for me. He’s done a good job with it.”

When the Lakers spent three days in Charlotte in December, he encouraged Julius Randle to fly home to Los Angeles to support his fiancée, Kendra Shaw, who was expecting their first child, Kyden. Nuñez also arranged a flight for Randle later that week from Miami to Los Angeles to witness his son’s birth.

“He cares about us,” Randle said of Nuñez. “He did an amazing job taking care of me, my fiancée and my whole situation with my baby. He made sure everything was OK when I was on the road.”

A LONG JOURNEY

During his sophomore year at Cal Poly Pomona, Nuñez heard former head athletic trainer Ky Kugler deliver a keynote speech that emphasized what he called the “four P’s,” in preparation, poise, patience and perseverance. Once the speech ended, Nuñez introduced himself to Kugler and shared how that speech fueled his ambitions to become a head athletic trainer. Nuñez then changed majors from civil engineering to kinesiology.

“It sounds like (those qualities) defined Marco’s career. That was evident since I’ve known him,” Kugler said. “I thought he was always going to be successful.”

Nuñez carried out Kugler’s vision with a sports athletic training internship at Mount San Antonio Community College and Pasadena City College. He then had a short stint with the Long Beach Ice Dogs (1998), before taking on an assistant trainer role with the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League (1999-2002).

During that time, Nuñez saw several aspects of an industry where job security can be tenuous. After an Avengers player scolded him for taping his ankles poorly, Nuñez gathered friends as test subjects so he could perfect that job. Nuñez improved in his craft quickly enough that former Avengers head athletic trainer Brian Nguyen often deferred his workload to Nuñez.

As Nuñez’s responsibilities grew, he developed a more light-hearted relationship with players. He played pranks by pouring a bucket of ice water on players on their birthdays, and players nicknamed him “Blinkie” in reference to his constant eye twitching.

“It says something that is very endearing when people know your mannerisms like that,” Nguyen said, laughing. “Marco truly cares as an athletic trainer both with his job and working with people.”

That’s why Nguyen recruited Nuñez in 2003 for another project. After producers of the movie, “The Longest Yard,” hired Nguyen to treat actor Adam Sandler on set, Nguyen hired Nuñez to handle the rest of the cast, including the likes of former professional wrestler Steve Austin, rapper Nelly and former NFL player Michael Irvin.

While filming in Santa Fe, N.M., Nuñez’s most memorable experiences involved his time handling Irvin – an early test of his ability to handle star players nursing injuries.

After he tweaked his hamstring during a game of pickup basketball, Irvin asked Nuñez a pointed question.

“If I go out there, can I make it worse?” Irvin asked.

“Yeah, you could aggravate it,” Nuñez answered.

Irvin lightly slapped Nuñez s face. Irvin then repeated his question.

“If I go out there, can I make it worse?” Irvin asked.

“No,” Nuñez said. “You’ll be fine.”

After Nuñez treated Irvin’s hamstring, the Hall of Famer finished the scene without making his injury worse. In between laughs, Nunez said that anecdote isn’t about him caving to a demanding athlete.

“He knows his body,” Nuñez said of Irvin. “They know the risk.”

Soon after, the uncertainty of the industry cost Nuñez his job with the Avengers because Health South, his employer, experienced financial issues. Nunez landed another AFL job a short time later, but his time with the Carolina Cobras ended a year later for the same reasons.

“That was two years in a row where I felt I got screwed,” Nuñez said. “I got to a point where I thought there’s too much politics and too much BS. I think I’m done.”

Actually, Nuñez was just getting started.

In 2004, Clive. E Brewster, a former regional manager with the Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic, recommended the WNBA’s Sparks interview Nuñez for their vacant head athletic training position.

“All of a sudden, he was left out in the cold. But if you’re good at what you do, something will fall,” Brewster said. “When you’re good people, things like that don’t affect you.”

Nuñez took the Sparks job for the 2005-2006 season, then joined the D-Fenders, the Lakers’ Development league affiliate, afterward. It wasn’t long before Nuñez remarked to Nguyen he hoped to become the Lakers’ head athletic trainer someday.

“When I was in college, my goal was to get to this level,” Nuñez said. “But now that I’m here, I may as well keep going.”

MAKING AN IMPRESSION

Vitti initially cringed upon hearing about Nuñez’s longtime aspirations.

“If your goal is to be the head athletic trainer of the Lakers and you never get there, does that mean you’ll be unhappy where you are the rest of your life?” Vitti said. “You have to be very careful of making that such a priority.”

Nonetheless, Nuñez quickly proved he wasn’t about ego. With the rest of the Lakers’ training staff treating other players, Walton asked Nuñez to tape his ankles before a practice at the beginning of the 2008-09 season. Once Nuñez finished, Walton uttered a few memorable words to Nuñez.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Walton said. “You’re a great fit into our system.”

Those words made Nuñez feel “reassured that I do belong here.”

“Luke is a guy that you want to go that extra mile for and you want to make sure he succeeds,” Nuñez said. “He just has that personality that makes you feel like you are part of the team.”

Walton laughed about the anecdote before acknowledging a foggy memory. Nonetheless, Walton called Nuñez a “good ankle taper.”

“He was great, easy to talk to and knows his stuff,” Walton said. “That’s when you build trust with a trainer. It’s not if he’s funny, but if he knows his stuff and knows how to fix you. He’s very knowledgeable, works hard and is a good communicator.”

Building on those qualities, Nuñez’s role grew.

He continued to observe Vitti closely in the training room, most notably how he handled Bryant and the star’s ability to play through injuries.

When Bryant fractured the right index finger of his right hand during the 2009-10 season, Nuñez admired how Bryant never missed a game and abstained from surgery. Shortly after the injury happened, Nuñez watched Bryant’s shooting routine while wearing a new splint. After missing a few shots, Bryant tinkered with the splint and his form before finding his stroke again.

“He already had gotten to the point where he figured out how to adjust and adapt to his new injury,” Nuñez said of Bryant. “That’s Kobe. That’s what great athletes do. They figure it out.”

Nuñez has since tried to figure out his niche with the Lakers.

Vitti estimated in the past three or four years he had delegated more of the treatment responsibilities to Nuñez, so he could spend more time entering information in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Nuñez took on inventory and purchasing of most of the medical supplies to ease Vitti’s workload.

Meanwhile, Vitti instructed Nuñez to keep both a backup battery and portable charger on his phone since he spends nearly 70 percent of his day on it coordinating with the front office, players and doctors. Vitti also advised Nuñez on how to help the Lakers’ coaching staffs manage their timeouts.

As the season winds to a close, Nuñez has done his part to keep the Lakers’ roster healthy while navigating the potential pitfalls of their demanding travel schedule. Nuñez says his dream job has all been worth it, even if the responsibilities have left him little time to sleep.

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“GREEK” ANTONOPULOS HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO DIRECTOR OF SPORTS MEDICINE

Article reposted from Denver Broncos
Author: Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have promoted long-time head athletic trainer Steve “Greek” Antonopulos to director of sports medicine and assistant athletic trainer Vince Garcia to head athletic trainer, Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway announced on Wednesday.

In his new role, Antonopulos will oversee all aspects of the Broncos’ sports medicine program, including athletic training and player rehabilitation. Garcia will serve as the lead athletic trainer for players and assume all day-to-day head athletic training responsibilities. 

STATEMENT FROM JOHN ELWAY

“Greek’s been a cornerstone of the Denver Broncos for more than four decades, and we’re excited to have him move up a level to become our director of sports medicine. In talking with Greek, he indicated that he was ready to make this transition and turn the head athletic training position over to the very qualified and well-respected Vince Garcia.

“There’s nothing more important than the health of our players, and Vince is prepared for the important responsibilities as our lead athletic trainer. We’re in good hands with Greek overseeing our sports medicine program and Vince becoming our head athletic trainer.”

STATEMENT FROM STEVE “GREEK” ANTONOPULOS

“I’m very excited to begin the next chapter in my athletic training career in this new role. I’ve taken so much pride in serving as the Broncos’ head athletic trainer for 37 seasons, and while it’s difficult to pass on those responsibilities, I know this is the right move for my family and me.

“I could not think of a better fit than Vince Garcia to become the Denver Broncos’ head athletic trainer. He cares about our players and always puts their well-being first.

“I’ve been living a dream for the last 41 years while I’ve worked for the Denver Broncos. It’s an honor to work for Mr. Bowlen and Joe Ellis, and I couldn’t have a better boss than John Elway. I’m grateful for this new opportunity and am really looking forward to working with Vince, our players and coaches, and the rest of our very talented medical staff.”

BACKGROUND ON ANTONOPULOS

Antonopulos, who enters his 42nd season with the Broncos in 2017, began his career with Denver as an assistant athletic trainer in 1976 and worked his way up to becoming the club’s director of rehabilitation in 1979. His 41 years as a Broncos athletic trainer are believed to be the most in NFL history with a single team and include 37 seasons (1980-2016) as the team’s head athletic trainer.

Antonopulos has worked nearly 900 Broncos games in his more than four decades with the team. During that time, he has been part of 27 winning seasons, 22 playoff berths, 15 AFC West titles, 10 AFC Championship Games, eight Super Bowls and three World Championships.

In 2011, Antonopulos was named the Fain-Cain Memorial Award recipient, an award that is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL as well as exemplary performance. He has received numerous other honors throughout his career, including the NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award (1987), the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Athletic Trainer Service Award (1996) and the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award (2006).

BACKGROUND ON GARCIA

Garcia, who is in his seventh year with the team, spent five seasons (2010-13, ’16) as assistant athletic trainer for the Broncos after serving as an athletic training intern in 2008.

He also has experience working as head athletic trainer for South Metro Fire Rescue in Centennial, Colo., from 2014-15 and head football athletic trainer for the University of Northern Colorado in 2009.

In addition to receiving his athletic training certification from the National Athletic Trainers Association, Garcia is certified as a blood flow restriction rehabilitation specialist. He is treasurer of the Colorado Athletic Trainers Association along with his membership in the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers Association.

Garcia received his bachelor’s degree in sport and exercises science from Northern Colorado and earned his master’s degree in sports medicine from Oregon State University.

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Vikings Coach Says Athletic Trainer May Have Saved QBs Leg and Career

Article reposted from Purple PTSD
Author: Joe Johnson

As most of Minnesota finally saw mid-day Tuesday, Teddy Bridgewater is in fact capable of not only standing and walking, but of throwing a football as well. According to some news reports at the outset of his devastating knee/leg injury back before last season pointed out and comments by head coach Mike Zimmer explained a bit yesterday, that was very close to not being a reality. Bridgewater’s leg knee and lower leg dislocated from his upper leg, which is apparently no fun to be a part of (for anyone). Obviously for Bridgewater this was extremely painful, but the reaction of other players on the field was what was the most startling (As it explained how severe and rare his injury was in the sport) as some players threw their helmets, others prayed and reportedly some even vomited on the field.

Because of the severity and relative unprecedented nature mixed with the Vikings brass’ tendency to play injury news tight to the chest/vest and the one surprise out of this thing is the fact that we as writers/fans we were really unaware of where Bridgewater was in his recovery up until this week, save for a few people seeing him walking around the locker room and some unreliable comments from the Vikings staff. So, when video was released by Bridgewater himself in a video titled ‘Spring Cleaning’, Vikings fandom rejoiced, as just the night before Zimmer had said that Bridgewater was still mostly doing pool rehab.

Again, things almost didn’t end up this way and Zimmer knows it. He thanked head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman in a press conference yesterday for essentially saving Teddy’s career and status as a bipedal human, saying (To many reporters but I read it on Scout.com):

“It could have been really, really bad, Eric Sugarman did an unbelievable job of possibly saving this guy’s career and maybe saving his leg.”

He also added that:

Mark Craig

✔@markcraignfl

Zimmer on Sugarman: “Teddy should be his friend for life.”

Beyond the injury, Zimmer reiterated his love for the young quarterback, saying:

“I saw Teddy in the training room a week or so ago. He’s in great spirits, working hard, doing all the things necessary. There’s no timetable. I keep getting asked these questions but when he’s ready, he’s ready.”

“He’s getting to where his range of motion is good, he’s starting to move more, strengthening the leg,” Zimmer said, according to a report by ESPN on the same press conference. “It was a rough injury. I’m sure there’s more land work he’s going to do.”

When asked if he trusts Bridgewater to follow rehab while in Miami, Zimmer said, “100 percent.”

And while the video may have raised some hopes for a 2017 return, Zimmer reiterated that the lack of a timetable still returns for an injury that really wildly varies from case to case and that the league hasn’t really seen a ton of. So, the question remains; What do the Vikings plans for a back-up quarterback for at least the beginning of the 2017 season? Seeing that they currently only have two healthy players in Sam Bradford and Taylor Heinicke on their roster, it’s clearly something that they need to address before long.

“I’m sure we’re going to get something done there.” Zimmer said.

That “Something” is looking like it’ll occur in next month’s draft, but considering how encouraging Bridgewater’s video was (It’s better than jogging in place in a pool)  they may be able to bring veteran Shaun Hill back for one more year (if that), really it depends on whether or not they believe Heinicke has reached his end as a project or has reached the level of perennial back-up. His self-inflicted injury probably doesn’t help his cause for the latter. Either way, it was great to see Teddy back on the field, throwing the ball again, even if it was in shorts at the end of March. But considering where he could’ve ended up, that’s really all any of us could ask for.

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Athletic Trainers are Big Reasons Why Northern Arizona Suns in Playoff Mix

Article reposted from Northern Arizona Suns
Author: Northern Arizona Suns

Getting to the gym first and being one of the last ones to leave. That usually is a sign you will see in a player on the verge of making it to the next level, or at least in a player who has the potential to be great. With the Northern Arizona Suns, most of the players get to practice early and stay late, but the ones who show up first and leave last are the athletic trainers.

Jonathan Mak and Michelle Ruan represent the Suns’ athletic training and sports medicine department. Both can be seen performing treatment on players on a regular basis on the sidelines and during practice, both will be in the building preparing for practice and games before the building’s staff arrives, and both absolutely love what they do.

Mak is the Suns’ head athletic trainer, head strength and conditioning coach, team nutritionist, equipment manager and assistant travel coordinator. With so many duties, you would think he doesn’t even have time to sleep.

“This season has been a grind. It’s been crazy, especially being on the road, it’s definitely a grind. But it’s really fun working with these players and seeing them go on the court,” Mak said.

“Elijah Millsap was telling me, ‘Hey J-Mak, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to go tomorrow.’ That guy is 29 years old, but he takes care of his body like a pro,” Mak said. “He does about an hour of treatment every day after practice, definitely more than anyone else on the team.”

Mak credited Xavier Silas, Josh Gray and Alex Davis, among others, who really focus on their physical wellbeing, especially in the food department.

“They go to the grocery store with me and I teach them to buy good foods and teach them some recipes that’s easy for them to make,” Mak said.

In a sport riddled with injuries where players can miss multiple games, if not an entire season, often because of the never-ending workload on their bodies, the Suns have been able to stay healthy all year. It should come as no surprise that some players Mak listed in Millsap, Gray and Davis have played in every single game this season, as has Derek Cooke Jr.

“I think the athletic trainer is one of the most crucial elements of a basketball team,” Mak said. “If you don’t have a good athletic trainer who’s willing to put in that time and have that compassion and care to really put everything that we have into getting those guys right, they’re just not going to be able to go out there and perform at their best day-in and day-out.”

Mak is in his fourth year with the organization, as he spent the last three years with the Bakersfield Jam before the team was moved to Prescott Valley in April 2016.

The 26-year-old is one of the most well-known athletic trainers around the league, spending the last two summers at the Summer League in Las Vegas working as the co-head athletic trainer for the D-League Select Team as well as assisting the Phoenix Suns Medical Staff with their Summer League games.

He also served as the head athletic trainer for the NBA D-League Elite Mini-Camp in Chicago the last three years, working with the best players and coaches around the league by himself.

Mak came to Northern Arizona in the move, bringing in Ruan as his assistant this season.

Ruan, a 25-year-old out of California Baptist University, doesn’t travel with the team, but when the Suns are in Prescott Valley, she almost never leaves the gym.

“She really is the glue that holds all this team together,” Mak said. “She definitely is an important part of this team and the other half of the sports medicine team; it’s us two and there’s 12 guys. So she’s great and a hard worker.”

Ruan, who earned her master’s degree in athletic training at CBU in Riverside, California, gets to the gym hours before practice starts to set everything up, staying hours after to make sure the players get the treatment they need and everything is taken care of.

One of her big concerns is players’ hydration, so she constantly makes sure everyone has enough water and the proper nutritional value is available. Ruan said she takes care of the players like they are family.

“My grandma fell and broke her hip and she went and got homecare, but the care she was receiving wasn’t exceptional. She shortly passed after that,” Ruan said. “After I saw that – no one should ever have to go through that. They should be treated with exceptional care. That’s how I like to treat all of my athletes, players, I want to treat them like how family should be treated, with exceptional care.”

Despite the excessive number of hours both have to put in to keep the team healthy and in good shape, both love their jobs and being a part of the Northern Arizona Suns. Each mentioned getting to the NBA as a potential dream landing spot, but both consider this an amazing job that they’d be happy at maintaining for a while.

“My dream job is to eventually make it to the NBA and work with these great athletes, but honestly I would be OK anywhere,” Ruan said. “Just being around sports, it doesn’t have to be basketball … as long as I’m able to keep doing what I do, provide care for them, making sure their health is at their optimum and their performance is at their optimum, I’ll love my job.”

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Denver Bronco’s Charities Help to provide athletic trainer to Colorado High School

Article reposted from Denver Broncos
Author: Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos Charities, the NFL Foundation and Children’s Hospital Colorado have announced that Adams City High School will be the beneficiary of this year’s NFL Club Matching Certified Athletic Trainer Grant.

The $50,000 grant will place a part-time certified athletic trainer, provided by Children’s Colorado, at Adams City High School beginning on Wednesday. The athletic trainer will remain with Adams City High School for one calendar year.

The NFL Foundation established the Certified Athletic Trainer Grant in 2014 to expand access to athletic trainers at the high school level. This initiative provides athletic training coverage to high schools in NFL communities that otherwise would not have access to a certified athletic trainer.

The athletic trainer at Adams City High School will work a minimum of 20 hours per week providing care for all sports throughout the year. The grant will also help with supplies, including Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and training room upgrades.

Located in Commerce City, Colo., Adams City High School has nearly 600 student-athletes and offers nine sports for both male and female students.

Athletic trainers are an important part of any sports medicine care team. They are often the first responders to injuries that happen in practice or competition. Athletic trainers are equipped to care for athletes with serious sports injuries and conditions, which can include heat illness, cardiac events and brain and spinal cord injuries that can be life-threatening if not properly managed.

Athletic trainers also play an important role in recognizing, assessing and managing concussions, including supporting critical return-to-play decisions. They also help counsel coaches, parents and athletes about concussion prevention and management.

This initiative has been endorsed by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS).

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Jordy Nelson credits Packers athletic trainers for his impressive comeback

Article reposted from  ESPN
Author: Jason Wilde

When Jordy Nelson accepted the Comeback Player of the Year award at the NFL Honors event on the eve of Super Bowl, his brief acceptance speech included a thank you to two guys most of the viewing public had never heard of.

He referred to them only as “Nate” and “Flea” — considering the Green Bay Packers star wide receiver spent just 38 seconds speaking, perhaps he didn’t have time for their last names — but Nelson made it clear that athletic trainers Nate Weir and Bryan “Flea” Engel were instrumental in the remarkable season (97 receptions, 1,257 yards, an NFL-best 14 touchdown catches) he had in 2016.

And while it was obvious from his quick stage right exit that he didn’t want to spend another second in front of the audience, Nelson said this week that winning the award was important to him as a way to recognize what Engel and Weir did to help him overcome the torn ACL in his right knee that wiped out his 2015 season and put the rest of his career in doubt.

“I wanted to win the award for those guys,” Nelson said during an appearance on ESPN Wisconsin’s “Wilde & Tausch” earlier this week. “Because they put in a lot of work behind the scenes.”

Nelson, who considered his comeback a team effort from the very beginning, credits Engel and Weir not only with getting him through the grueling rehabilitation process throughout the 2015 season but with keeping him on the field for all 16 regular-season games after limited work in training camp.

Nelson did miss the Packers’ NFC Divisional playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 15, but it wasn’t because of his knee — it was because of broken ribs suffered in the team’s Jan. 8 NFC wild-card playoff win over the New York Giants.

“I didn’t miss a practice until I broke my ribs and then obviously ended up missing the Dallas game,” Nelson said. “That was one of the things I was most happy about, being out there on the practice field every week, every day, not missing one of those and being able to perform on Sundays.”

Nelson did more than perform. At age 31, he showed that he’s still an elite-level player, putting up numbers that compared favorably to his 2014 performance (98 receptions for 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns).

Nelson said his approach to rehab was to view it like a typical football season, just with an unusual workout regimen set by Engel and Weir. The goal was to be ready for the Sept. 11 regular-season opener at Jacksonville, which he met. After that, Nelson and Weir had a daily program designed to regain his pre-injury form and keep him healthy for the entire season.

“Nate and I had a schedule all season of what we wanted to do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday in order to be ready for Sunday, and we stuck to it for 20-some weeks and never skipped a beat,” Nelson said. ‘And I think that’s why I was able to progress throughout the season, continue to improve and stay healthy.”

Nelson admitted that he became frustrated at times with the Packers’ conservative approach to his comeback during the offseason — general manager Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy and team physician Dr. Patrick McKenzie were varying degrees of cautious with him — but said he, Engel and Weir always felt good about their plan.

“The trainers and I were on the same page,” Nelson said. “You have the coaching staff and management upstairs, and then you’ve got Doc, who’s extremely conservative — which we hate, but we love at the same time because he takes care of our bodies [when] at the same time we want to go out there and play and practice. So it was a battle from that aspect.

“When we got to OTAs [in May], [the team] kind of backed me off and we kind of regressed in terms of what they were letting me do. So that was the frustrating part of trying to communicate with everyone else. The trainers and myself were on the same page, but trying to get everyone else to understand what I had been doing, what I was capable of doing and allowing me to do that. We eventually got to it. It took some time, some conversations, but we got to that point and we ended up ready for Week 1. At the end of the day, that’s what our goal was.”

While Weir and Engel got Nelson ready physically, it was up to him to get ready mentally — something that, in retrospect, he admitted was just as arduous at times, especially for the 2015 home opener against the Seattle Seahawks and for the season-ending NFC Divisional loss at Arizona, when the Packers were down to two healthy wide receivers at game’s end.

“When we opened up at home against Seattle … it really sucks when you’re walking down the hallway [outside the home locker room] and they [his teammates] take a right and go down the tunnel [to the field] and you keep walking straight to go up the elevator to the players’ suite in the south end zone. That was not the most enjoyable.

“And then the Arizona playoff game was another one. Those are the games you want to play in, and we got banged up with Davante [Adams] getting hurt in the Washington game [the previous week], Randall [Cobb] got hurt early in that [Arizona] game. We’re running thin on guys, and I’m just standing there. You want to be out there to help the guys and win games and make plays. Those were the games that really hit me in the gut last year of not being able to be out there playing.”

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Golden Knights hire former Cirque Du Soleil Athletic Trainer

Article reposted from Las Vegas Sun
Author: 

The Vegas Golden Knights have hired former Cirque du Soleil Director of Performance Medicine Jay Mellette as their head athletic trainer and director of sports performance, the team announced today.

Millette joins the hockey team after 12 years at Cirque du Soleil, where he oversaw the care, prevention and rehabilitation services for more than 1,300 athletes and staff for shows in Las Vegas. Prior to his stint with Cirque, Millette was an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force.

In his new position with the Golden Knights, Mellette will oversee the daily administration of the sports performance staff, while also being responsible for ensuring players receive appropriate, comprehensive and effective services.

“Jay possesses a truly unique sports performance and leadership background,” Golden Knights General Manager George McPhee said in a news release. “His impressive tenure at Cirque du Soleil along with his experience in the armed forces will impact our organization in a meaningful way. Trainers and sports performance staff play a vital role in the success of any professional team and we are excited to have Jay help direct our efforts in this area.”

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Chargers to Restructure Athletic Training and Weight Room Staff

Article reposted from The San Diego Tribune
Author: Michael Gehlken

James Collins is one of the most established names in his industry, having been elected last year to president of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society. He also oversaw a Chargers department that PFATS named the NFL Athletic Training Staff of the Year in 2009.

But following a season overwrought by injury, changes were expected this offseason.

His position will be affected.

A source said Friday that, while currently inaccurate to characterize Collins as having been outright dismissed, a restructuring in the athletic training room is certain to affect his role with the club. Collins, a longtime fixture in San Diego, was notified to that effect Friday morning. He first joined the franchise as an intern in 1986 and has been with it consecutively since 1999.

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GET TO KNOW THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES DAVID CREWE

Article reposted from NBA
Author: Kyle Ratke

Editor’s Note: Our Kyle Ratke was able to chat with Head Strength and Conditioning Coach/Assistant Athletic Trainer David Crewe earlier this season about his journey and his role with the team. In his current role, Crewe oversees the development and implementation of the team’s strength and conditioning programs, as well as assists in the daily treatment and individual player rehabilitation.

Kyle Ratke: Head Strength and Conditioning Coach AND Assistant Athletic Trainer. That’s quite the job title. Asking for a friend, but what exactly does all of that mean?

David Crewe: Currently I serve as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach/Assistant Athletic Trainer on the performance staff. In short, I work closely with the athletic training and coaching staffs to help develop our players into the best NBA players they can be. With the help of my assistant, Troy Sutton, we develop strength and conditioning programs designed to maximize performance output on the court. We also implement custom corrective exercise programs for the players which aim to minimize/address deficiencies. We aim to provide an educational, research-based and competitive environment each day. My role isn’t limited to the weight room though, I also have the task of coordinating meals for the team both while at home and on the road. Our kitchen staff at the practice facility does a great job of providing well-balanced meals, often customized to each players needs and wants.

KR: At what point in your life did you decide that you wanted to do something like this with your career?

DC: I played multiple sports growing up so a lot of my time was spent around gyms or watching games. I knew I wanted to be involved in sports and I knew the medical/performance field was where I belonged. What sparked my initial interest was working with athletic trainers and strength coaches while dealing with my own athletic injuries – sprained ankles, thigh contusions etc. Being introduced to the profession and the sciences behind it allowed me to appreciate what it takes to be great at your craft; whether an athlete, a coach or a member of the performance staff. I knew I wanted to be in the exercise sports science industry and the more experiences I had in dealing with it (shadowing, classes etc), the more motivated I became. In doing several rotations in the clinic, at the high school, the collegiate and the professional levels, I quickly realized I worked best under the demand and intensity of professional sports.

KR: I’m putting you on the spot here, but do you have a favorite player that you enjoy working with? Or just a favorite player in general?

DC: Recreationally? …Kyle Ratke… Hands down. (Editor’s Note: David, your check will arrive in 7-10 business days.)

Professionally, that’s a difficult question to answer. Each athlete you deal with over the years brings something special to the table. They all have such unique backgrounds, skillsets and varying personalities. I can’t really say I enjoy any one more than the next. If you walked into the locker room during the offseason, you would see empty lockers and empty chairs. The room becomes something special when those seats are filled with 15 individuals sharing a common goal. It may sound cliché but it’s never about one individual, it’s always the collective synergy that brings the most out of each guy and you grow an appreciation for each players’ personality, their backgrounds and their motivating factors.

That being said, we often form incredible bonds with some of the athletes. Working in such close proximity on a daily basis leads to a lot of shared experiences. We do spend a lot of time with the guys, sometimes when they are at their lowest during an injury. It’s easy to form connections with a variety of players, especially when you see them come out on the other end and show tremendous gains/improvements. It’s hard to duplicate that sense of accomplishment and I think its appreciated on both sides of the relationship.

KR: Okay, if you can’t answer that, how about a favorite memory?

DC: Again, I don’t know if there’s any one memory that stands out more than another. That’s what makes sports and competition so amazing, it seems to bring out the best in people and creates some incredible memories for everyone. I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some unforgettable people and have had some great experiences while working for the Timberwolves organization; whether it was volunteer work to help around the Twin Cities, international travel to work with some of our players, being involved and witnessing our young guys excel at All-Star 2016 or working with legendary NBA coaches and players. I think as a member of the performance staff, there will never be a more distinct, or rewarding, memory than watching players achieve their goals; whether it be through performance markers, completing a grueling rehab or simply transforming their bodies.

KR: You’re in your seventh season with the team. Obviously, a lot has changed with the organization. How has your role changed through the years?

DC: Starting in this organization in 2010 as a seasonal athletic training intern, over the past six seasons I’ve held titles of Assistant Athletic Trainer, Assistant Athletic Trainer/Strength & Conditioning Coach and now currently Head Strength & Conditioning Coach/Assistant Athletic Trainer.

I’ve had the privilege of working for some incredible people who have helped mold me in to the young professional I am today. I’ve done the best I can over the years to absorb as much information and shared experiences as possible to increase my versatility within the performance staff. It’s taken a lot of hard work and faith from my superiors to transition from working solely in the Athletic Training Room to overseeing the development programs of our Timberwolves players in the weight room. My path is not entirely unique as many of the best health care professionals in the NBA carry multiple credentials/titles. Being able to serve as a first responder, a clinician and as a performance coach has increased my appreciation for each department in basketball operations and their respective responsibilities.

KR: The sports world is obviously crazy as far as hours go. Do you ever wonder what a 9-5 job is like considering your hectic schedule? Maybe throw an hour lunch break in there?

DC: Fortunately for me, I don’t know what a 9-5 would be like. I started my career early in professional sports serving in the NFL doing various athletic training internships as a sophomore in college and have been lucky enough to continue working in professional sports ever since. A busy/chaotic schedule is all I’ve ever known. I think my field of work matches my personality and interests so it never really feels like a burden.

Often times the schedule is more demanding and grueling on your loved ones. They have to be just as willing, if not more, to be flexible and adaptable to the taxing schedule. Their support and understanding definitely helps make all of the travel days and all of the late game nights easier.

I think at the end of the day, people want to work in an environment that motivates, challenges and empowers them. I can speak for myself and my coworkers in that we feel a great sense of fulfillment at the end of each work day, each season. The NBA travel schedule can be demanding and challenging at times, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

KR: You’re behind the scenes with these players and see all the hard work that goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling. When it comes to teams you’ve been around, how hard working of a group is this young squad?

DC: We are really fortunate to have such a hard-working group of guys. They understand the importance of not only staying ready, but the need for a great work ethic at a young age. The coaching staff does a terrific job raising the bar each day. The season can be a grind but our guys strive to get better, in one way or another, every day. Complacency isn’t really in their vocabularies. We have a young team, but we also have some players with a wealth of experience and knowledge who are helping our young guys create good habits, early in their careers. They’re proactive in taking care of the bodies whether it be in the athletic training room, the weight room or even the kitchen. Being on the performance staff, the beauty of our jobs is we get the opportunity to work with individuals who are extremely motivated and have the opportunity to become something legendary with the skill set and talents they’ve been blessed with. The expectations they set for themselves help raise the level of expectations throughout our practice facility.

 

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Chicago Cubs Medical Staff Visit President Obama at the White House

Article reposted from Chicago Cubs
Author: Jesse Rogers 

It wasn’t lost on President Barack Obama or the Chicago Cubs that Monday’s White House celebration of the team’s World Series victory would be the last official event of his presidency. It also wasn’t lost on team president Theo Epstein that the Cubs were being honored by a notoriously loyal Chicago White Sox fan.

“We have taken the liberty of offering you a midnight pardon,” Epstein joked to Obama during the afternoon ceremony. “We welcome you with open arms today to the Cubs family.”

Obama responded in kind.

“Among Sox fans I’m the Cubs’ No. 1 fan,” he declared.

Both Obama and Epstein spoke to a packed East Room of the White House filled with current and former players along with White House staff, many of whom are Cubs fans.

“They said this day would never come,” Obama began his remarks. “I will say to the Cubs, it took you long enough. I only have four days left. You’re just making it under the wire.

“Even I was not crazy enough to suggest that during these eight years we would see the Cubs win the Worlds Series. But I did say there has never been anything false about hope.”

Annual hope for the Cubs from their large fan base was finally rewarded in 2016 with a title, the first in 108 years for the organization. It’s the second team Epstein has guided to a World Series win after a long drought, having taken the Boston Red Sox all the way in 2004 after 86 years without a title. It prompted a job offer from Obama — and a few laughs from the crowd.

“His job is to quench droughts,” Obama said of Epstein. “He takes the reins of an organization that’s wandering in the wilderness. He delivers them to the promised land. I’ve talked to him about being DNC chair, but he’s decided wisely to stick to baseball.”

After the ceremony, first baseman Anthony Rizzo called the day the “icing on the cake” of their championship season. Current players were reunited with popular outfielder Dexter Fowler and catcher David Ross, along with Chris Coghlan and Trevor Cahill. None will be with the Cubs next season.

“What an amazing experience we had today,” Rizzo said. “Something we’ll never forget. … Michelle [Obama] showing up was pretty cool.”

President Obama claimed that among the 50 or so teams the White House has welcomed over his eight years as president, the first lady has never made an appearance until Monday. Before the official ceremony, the lifelong Cubs fan met with the team. Rizzo recalled the moment when she and her husband walked into the room.

“It’s a room that’s all chatter, chatter, chatter, and then the president and first lady walk in and it’s complete silence,” he said. “You could hear a pin drop. You get chills running through your body.”

Later, in its attempt to convert the president to a Cubs fan, Rizzo and the team presented him with a No. 44 Cubs jersey, a lifelong pass to Wrigley Field for him and his family, a “W” flag and the “44” panel from the center-field scoreboard.

“That’s some nice swag,” Obama said.

As impressed as the president was with his gifts — and despite an urging from Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins — Obama wouldn’t go so far as to put on the Cubs jersey. As for Cubs manager Joe Maddon, Obama called him “cool” for wearing a turtleneck and suede coat to the White House. Obama also remarked that he and Ross had something in common: The two of them have been on a “yearlong retirement tour.”

After acknowledgements of the team’s success as well as a few more jokes, Obama took note of celebrating the Cubs’ championship on Martin Luther King Day.

“There is a direct line between Jackie Robinson and me standing here,” he said. “It’s worth remembering that throughout our history sports has had this power to bring us together even when the country is divided. Sports has changed attitudes and culture in ways that seem subtle but ultimately made us think differently about ourselves and who we are. … Sports has a way of changing hearts in a way politics or business doesn’t.”

After a tour of the White House, a talk with both the president and first lady and then the official ceremony, Maddon summed up the Cubs’ day.

“It’s pretty magnificent to be invited to the White House,” he said. “It’s a powerful moment. It’s a humbling moment.”