Injuries, it’s the most common thing that happens in sports and it can also be the most devastating thing to happen to someone that’s playing the sport. 

That’s why Papillion Lavista High School has an athletic training academy that students can join to help players take care of their injuries and to try to prevent them from getting any further ones.  

“I’ve been in athletic training for 2 years now,” senior Christina Beacom said. 

Sitting around and doing nothing is not an option for students in athletic training. They are always on their feet and learning new things. They are always prepared to help the next person who needs them. 

“A typical day for me consists of us coming to the school around 2 to help get things ready for football and around 3:30 when the athletes come in we tape them and help them in any way they need, and then at 4 we head down to the field for practice which goes until 6:30, then at the end of practice, if an athlete wants ice we get them it and wrap it for them,” Beacom said. 

With so many athletes needing assistance and constantly being on the go, the athletic trainers are always under a deal of stress which can take its own toll on them. 

“sometimes when a lot of athletes come in at once and all of them need different things, it can get a little stressful to make sure you’re taking care of everyone while still doing a good job,” senior athletic trainer Alyssa Berger said. 

Now to others being an athletic trainer might sound like the worst job ever, but it can actually prepare people for many different fields of work other than just athletic training. 

“I want to go into physical therapy and athletic training correlates with what I’m learning here,” Berger said.  

Athletic training academy is currently only for juniors and seniors but once students start their freshman year and are thinking about going into things like physical therapy, occupational therapy, or athletic training then they should really consider joining the academy once they become a junior. 

“I would recommend being an athletic trainer because it is so interesting, and you get to learn a lot of things that will not just help you, but it also helps others. You also get to meet lots of new people and get to learn how each tape or wrap that you do is helping out the person in a specific way,” Beacom said.  

There will always be injuries when people are playing sports which means there will always be a need for the skills of an athletic trainer too. Athletic trainers are not just water boys/girls, they do way more than just give players water. So, if you’re interested in helping players heal their injuries or just interested in learning about injuries of the body, joining the Athletic Training academy might just be the next big move.