Tag: Springfield College

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Springfield College Graduate and Elizabethtown AT Featured as 40 under 40

Article reposted from Springfield College
Author: Springfield College

How has having a Springfield College degree impacted you professionally?

In my opinion, a Springfield College degree in athletic training puts you at the forefront as a healthcare professional in the health care field. It prepares you holistically to treat patients, find the root cause, and practice evidence-based medicine. It teaches you to treat the patient as a person and not just by his/her injury or illness. A Springfield College degree teaches you to provide quality health care to the physically active population.

Each professor in the athletic training education program is extremely knowledgeable and skilled in the field of athletic training. Being taught by educators who were also your preceptors during clinical rotations, allowed you to carry over classroom knowledge to practical application. I am extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to be taught by the professors at Springfield College. They cared just as much about you as a person as they did you succeeding as a student and a future healthcare professional.

Who influenced you when you were a student at Springfield College and explain the role they played in your life?

Charles J. Redmond was one of the first professors who taught me at Springfield College. He is an incredible mentor, role model, healthcare professional, professor, and friend. Anytime I needed professional or personal guidance, he always made time for me. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from him.

Susan Guyer was and still is one of the most instrumental athletic trainers that shaped my life at Springfield College and beyond. She is an incredible mentor, person, athletic trainer, and professor.

Mary Barnum was my advisor, program director, professor, clinical preceptor, and mentor while at Springfield College. She continues to provide advice and mentorship since graduating and I am lucky to have been able to learn from her. Learning from her as a preceptor and in the classroom, has really taught me to not forget steps and think outside the box when evaluating patients.

Thomas Dodge was my senior clinical preceptor and professor. He has extreme passion and excitement for athletic training. His energy was and still is contagious. I am lucky to still have him as a mentor and call him a friend.

Barclay is an incredible role model and mentor to me on how to be a head athletic trainer. There are times I still reach to him for advice.

Wayne Rodrigues probably does not know this but I feel lucky and blessed to have had him as my emergency response lab instructor my first year. His experience, knowledge, excitement, and skills in emergency response, helped me save the life of a patient. His ability to make emergency simulations realistic in a lab setting gave me the confidence I have today when faced with emergency situations. He made me want to become a professor and teach emergency response to athletic training students. I hope someday to be able to do just this!

Vincent Paolone was my exercise physiology professor while attending Springfield College. His passion for Exercise Physiology really assisted me in understanding other facets of my education. I really enjoyed his teaching methods and learning from the chalkboard. The lab reports were quite long.

I took Daniel Zukergood’s Foundation of Multicultural Education class my senior year. I really learned a lot from him and I have taken many things from his class into my life outside of Springfield College.

I worked for Tamie Kidess Lucey and alumni relations while at Springfield College. It was my favorite job on campus because I learned how much the school really cared about the students and past/current/future alumni.

James Thorton, Michael Goldenberg, Jeff Stone, Jennifer Rath Semle, Charlie Thompson, AJ Duffy, Paul Ullucci, Tim Weston, Diane Sartanowicz, David Csillan, Robert Ward, John Furtado, Gregory Janik, Mary Mundrane-Zweiacher: These are all athletic trainers that I met while being on the EATA Student Delegation Committee and serving as Committee President. To this day, all of these individuals are mentors, friends, and athletic trainers I look up too. They all continue to serve our profession.

If you could share one piece of advice with today’s current Springfield College student, what would it be?

One piece of advice is hard so here are a few small ones: Experience every aspect of Springfield College. Take time to learn from your professors outside of the classroom. Ask as many questions as you can. Get involved in clubs, school activities, or in your professional field as a student. Take an internship and experience the world before graduating. Take chances and really grow as a person. Springfield College is an incredible college and there are so many incredible people who work there. Take this opportunity and really experience Springfield College.

Who do you want to thank personally for the role they have played in your success?

My parents Clede and Shelley Spooner: Without their support, I would not be where I am today.

Michael Pitts, who was the first athletic trainer I ever met and was the one who inspired me to become an athletic trainer.

The athletic training professors at Springfield College, who shaped me as the athletic trainer I am today.

All My Mentors: Every trial, challenge, and success I have had as an athletic trainer is all attributed to all the support, advice, education, and mentorship I have had from all the athletic trainers I have mentioned above.

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Athletic Trainer Barclay Dugger Fights Cancer Head On

Article reposted from The Springfield Student
Author: Harrison Kelly

As the Pride trounced the Rochester Yellow Jackets for 624 yards and 70 points on Homecoming Day last Saturday, the performance by our football players was not what our student body and alumni were celebrating most. At the peak of a wild day of events was the recognition of head athletic trainer, Barclay Dugger and his fight with prostate cancer.

Last winter, doctors discovered an anomaly with Dugger’s blood tests during a physical. The tests showed elevated PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) levels, which led doctors to preform a biopsy to see of cancer was present.

When the biopsy showed the presence of cancer, Dugger took the situation head on, conducting his own research on the next steps. This, of course, was expected coming from an athletic trainer, they love taking care of their bodies…it’s their job. After careful decision making, Duggan made the decision to have surgery. “That’s where the research pointed to in my particular case, age, level of cancer, and the aggressiveness of the cancer.”

After successful surgery, the recovery process couldn’t have gone any more smoothly for the head athletic trainer. With tongue and cheek, Dugger chuckled, “[Recovery] was supposed to be anywhere from a 6-12 week recovery.” After only two weeks, Dugger started to feel like himself and wanted to get back to work.

Being the dedicated man he is, Dugger was itching to get back to the AT room. Springfield gave him all the support he needed and welcomed him back whenever he felt ready to do so. “It was nice being home, but it’s time to get working,” said Dugger. “A lot of people were covering my butt here for me, so I was ready to get back to work.”

During recovery, Dugger received heaps full of cards and other facets of support. He was appreciative of the efforts given by his colleagues, students, and patients, but Dugger felt out of place. “I’m a caregiver. It’s a little bit different getting it from the other end,” said Dugger modestly.

Before surgery, head football coach Mike Cerasuolo approached Dugger asking to devote Springfield’s annual “Cancer Awareness Day” to him and prostate cancer as a whole. Dugger has been treating the football team day in and day out during football season for 15 years, and has made the lives and bodies of each student-athlete improved. There would be no better way and time to illustrate support and give thanks to an important part of the program than to dedicate a day to his name.

Dugger had the honor of executing the coin toss at the beginning of the game. With a roar of applause and screams from fans wearing light blue (the color of prostate cancer awareness) “BDStrong” shirts, Dugger won the toss. Springfield then graciously gave him the game ball and a light blue helmet signed by each player and coach, which are now both prominently showcased on the top shelf in his office. Keeping his humble attitude toward his circumstances, Dugger said, “I felt overwhelmed at times. All of the attention, I’m just not really used to it.”

Once the game started, the Pride became all business, and Dugger wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. In fact, he even worked the game as the head athletic trainer. “It was just a regular game,” said Dugger nonchalantly. “It was time to focus on the game, no need to focus on me anymore.”

Dugger’s attitude and action toward his cancer taught a lesson to how we should take on difficult situation in our own lives. Be involved. Do research. Plan your actions out and make your own informed decisions. Remember who is important in your life and who depends on you. Do what you love and be humble. Be tough and meet your obstacle head on. Be Barclay Dugger Strong.

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M. Susan Guyer of Springfield College to Take Home Top Honors From NATA

This article is reposted from Mass Live
Author: The Republican Business Desk

Springfield College Exercise Science and Sport Studies Chair M. Sue Guyer will be awarded both the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award and the Gail Weldon Award of Excellence during the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) annual conference in Baltimore, Md. June 22-25.
The Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer award recognizes NATA members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to leadership, volunteer service, advocacy, and distinguished professional activities as an athletic trainer. Currently, Guyer serves as the NATA District 1 secretary and the vice president for governance for the NATA Research and Education Foundation (REF). She also has held positions of public relations chair and president of the Athletic Training Association of Massachusetts.

“Dr. Sue Guyer is truly a gifted and talented teacher, mentor, leader, and serves as an amazing role model to women who would like to enter the profession of athletic training,” said Springfield College School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Dean Tracey Matthews. “Her passion and deep commitment for her discipline is unprecedented.”

The Gail Weldon Award of Excellence recognizes one athletic trainer each year who has displayed an exceptional commitment to mentoring, professional development, and a balanced life for female athletic trainers or offered significant contributions to improve the health care of women.
“We are very lucky to have such an amazing role model, faculty, and leader in athletic training at Springfield College,” added Matthews. “She continues to elevate the profession everyday. I can’t think of another person who is so deserving of these awards from the NATA.”
Since arriving at Springfield College in 2001, Guyer has taught courses in prevention of athletic injuries, research methods and education, athletic injury rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise, and human anatomy.
Guyer has been invited to speak internationally on the prevention of athletic injuries and concussions in China and at the European Society of Athletic Training and Therapy Conference in Jerzmanowice, Poland.
Guyer also has presented at the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association annual meetings as the NATA Educators’ Conference on issues relating to teaching and learning. Guyer is a manuscript reviewer for Athletic Therapy Today Journal and the Journal of Athletic Training.

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Springfield College Athletic Trainer Talks Concussions


Friday night football is a tradition for millions across America. That tradition, however, is facing increasing controversy.

In September, three different high school football players died from injuries they sustained while on the football field.

Last Friday, a high school quarterback was taken to the hospital after being hit on a play. He died the next day from a ruptured spleen. That same day an Oklahoma community mourned another teen who died from head injuries suffered during a game on September 11th.

Springfield College takes immediate action whenever a player is hurt. According to Springfield College Athletic Trainer Barclay Dugger, “When a concussion is suspected, they are immediately pulled out of activity and run through battery tests on the sideline. So if there is any sign of a concussion, we have to pull them out of activity for that day.”

However, most high schools lack the resources available to college teams. Dugger trains his coaches to spot the warning signs. Loss of consciousness, headaches, light sensitivity and ringing in the ears are all reason to check an athlete for a concussion.

Ted Zuhusky of Granby told 22News he worries about his grandson playing high school football. He said, “Yeah, there’s got to be some truth to it, he’s young. My wife she’s really she’s especially concerned.”

Dugger added that the younger you are, the longer the effects from concussions can last.