Article reposted from Bluebag Media
Author: Gaylen Blosser
Alyse Grillot has made a positive impact in her first year as Greenville’s Athletic Trainer.
“I’m here for those kids,” said Grillot. “I want to see them succeed and I want to see them play as much as possible.”
After a football season that kept many Green Wave players on the sideline, Grillot often had to make the call to rest a player for a week or more.
“I hate the fact that I had to hold a bunch of kids out of football this season,” Grillot said. “I always say I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately that’s part of my job. It’s hard sometimes to have to tell a parent or a coach especially with football – the number of injuries.”
The Michigan native graduated from Ithica High School and attended Indiana’s Anderson University, graduating in 2012.
Grillot is married to Rob Grillot, a Versailles High School alum now teaching third grade at Bradford where he serves as the Railroaders varsity track and cross country coach.
Grillot began employment with Wayne HealthSports at Mississinawa Valley schools and transferred to Greenville in the summer of 2017.
Grillot has hit the ground running, while adjusting to sports offerings including boys/girls soccer and girls tennis not offered at MVHS. The Green Wave football program also has more athletes participating which means more helmet checks, more preseason evaluations and IMPACT testing.
“I really do like the kids,” Grillot said. “I think it is important to establish a relationship with them, that’s a trust factor. They come to me with injuries and they trust me to get them back to play or they trust me to say, if I tell them they cannot play it’s usually a pretty significant injury.”
“Wrestling and swimming will be new sports for Alyse to cover this winter,” said Jim Beyke, Director of Wayne HealthSports Rehab Services. “We also anticipate a busy spring with the completion of the track complex at GHS. Greenville can be challenging in the spring because baseball, softball, and track are spread apart at different locations. That is when we supplement coverage with our casual staff or pull one of our trainers in from a surrounding school.”
“The great thing is that all of our Athletic Trainers work very well together and help each other during busy times or with multiple events,” added Beyke.
“Jim (Beyke) is a great guy,” Grillot said. “This is the best administration I have ever had. The support that I have received from Jim has been incredible. There is communication there – there is support.”
“Alyse covered the Treaty City Invitational this fall which attracted 1400 runners from the Miami Valley,” Beyke stated. “Alyse is very organized and is a hard worker. She has enjoyed the challenge of covering our largest school. Alyse has been meeting a lot of new coaches and athletes. It takes time to develop relationships and the feedback has been very positive from coaches, athletes, and parents.”
“Greenville seems like a really good fit for me,” said Grillot. “I feel so much appreciation and that can be rare for an athletic trainer.”
With the 2017 football season now in the book, Grillot weighed in on the final game of the season – a cold night with a continual pouring rain and strong wind.
“It was awful Friday night,” said Grillot. “I couldn’t feel my feet, couldn’t feel my face and when I had to cut tape off of players and I couldn’t feel my hands…it puts a damper on my mood but I have to be there regardless of the weather, whether it’s snowing or sleeting sideways – I’ll be there for the kids.”
Grillot entered college not knowing what she wanted to do until she was in a freshman at Anderson and narrowed it down to Exercise Science or Athletic Training.
“It’s a lot of work but I wouldn’t change my job,” Grillot said of her choice of Athletic Trainer. “It’s so much fun – I get to watch sports and get paid for it. I like helping people and being compassionate. It’s pretty awesome.”
The Wayne HealthSports program includes Versailles, Greenville, Ansonia, Tri Village, Mississinawa Valley and Franklin Monroe schools.