March 21st, 2017 by WCBC Radio
The month of March has been dedicated to the athletic training profession as National Athletic Training Month (NATM). During this month students and staff involved in the Frostburg State University athletic training major participate in various events to help the community and share information about athletic training.
Athletic training students have already participated in some volunteer work this month. The students volunteered at the Mountain Ridge High School basketball playoff game on March 2 to start off NATM. MRHS does not have an athletic trainer so the FSU students travel there to help during big events.
“A lot of times when we show up the parents are really grateful for it. The parents and athletes understand what we do for them and what we can do for them,” said senior Megan Conway.
On March 16, the students provided a free CPR and first aid course to local high school students. This event was hosted at Fort Hill High School and happened thanks to the Catherine R. Gira Campus to Community Grant, which paid for the first 20 students who registered for the course.
The students will also volunteer their time to provide free blood pressure screenings for FSU students and staff. These screening will be available on Tuesday, March 28, and Wednesday, March 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on both days in Lane University Center room 108. Also on March 28, to end NATM, the program will host a lecture by the FSU Athletics team physician Dr. Joseph Hahn.
“I try to do something involved in the community during NATM in March, so we try to make some special event with the community,” said faculty member Jackie Durst.
The month’s activities are more than just volunteering. It is also dedicated to promoting awareness of the athletic training program and profession.
“I like to tell people that we help athletes; we’re the first ones out there when someone goes down on the field. I think National Athletic Training Month really gets it out there what we actually do,” said junior Holly Biggs.
Junior Raheem Ramsey finds that most people he talks to misunderstand what athletic training is, requiring him frequently to explain what his major is.
“All they hear is trainer. They don’t hear athletic trainer,” Ramsey said. Conway agreed, “I think it also helps get out that we are necessary for sports environments.”
The athletic training students create a poster and enter a photo contest through the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Every year there is a different slogan, and this year’s slogan is “Your Protection Is our Priority.” The students take a photo with that poster during every event. The photo is then put on Twitter with the hashtag #NATM17, which enters them into the contest. Last year FSU made it to the top 10 photos in the national contest.
For more information about FSU’s Athletic Training Education Program, visit bit.ly/FSUAthleticTraining.
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