Gaby Harris, assist. sports editor
From early morning practices to late night responsibilities, student workers in Berry College’s athletic training department plays an important role in supporting the college athletes. Through the LifeWorks program, 80 student workers gain hands-on experience in athletic training.
Athletic training extends beyond game days, requiring student workers to be present throughout the season. Athletic trainers’ responsibilities involve supporting athletes even when the spotlight isn’t on them.
Sophomore athletic team director and student worker for baseball and cross-country, Luke Lewis, said that despite the time and commitment to the job demands, much of that work can go unnoticed.
“We’re with teams in the early mornings, late at night and at all the practices,” Lewis said. “We’re with them the whole way through and I don’t feel like everybody sees the time that gets put in.”
Junior Khamani Paxton’s roles as both a student leader on the athletic training staff and a member of the men’s basketball team gives him a unique perspective on athletic training. Through his involvement on and off the court, he has gained insight into the importance of athletic care and the relationships that develop between athletes and those who support them. Paxton said he values his work in athletic training.
“I’m appreciative of being able to be on both sides of that, getting treatment myself and also being able to treat others,” Paxton said. “It’s like my way of giving back.”
Working in Berry’s athletic training department has given junior Nolan Burchfield opportunities to develop skills that will prepare him for life beyond college. The job allows him to witness athletes’ progress and recognize the difference the athletic training staff makes in helping them get better. Through his experiences with student athletes, he has gained a better understanding of the responsibilities that come with working in a healthcare setting.
“I think patient interaction has been the most beneficial skill,” Burchfield said. “Learning how to communicate with people when they are hurt, when they are most vulnerable, will help me a lot in the future.”
Senior Elizabeth Brown was assigned the job of being a student athletic trainer her freshman year. She began college determined to attend medical school and planned to major in nursing until she began working as a student athletic trainer. Now she is majoring in exercise science, hoping to become an athletic trainer after Berry. Brown is a mentor director in the athletic training leadership department. She gives credit to Berry’s LifeWorks program for introducing her passion for athletic training.
“I had never heard of an athletic trainer before,” Brown said. “I’m currently applying for my master’s in athletic training, because this job has shown me something that I never thought I would have been exposed to.”
Brown’s role in the athletic training department also allows her to help foster a sense of community among student workers while encouraging them to look beyond athletes’ physical needs. Brown said the department emphasizes compassion by encouraging student workers to recognize athletes as people beyond their roles on the field or court.
“We pay a lot of attention through compassion and being able to see them beyond just being an athlete,” Brown said.
Athletic trainers’ work allows them to build relationships with athletes, develop leadership skills and explore career paths they may not have considered otherwise.
“The athletic training department has always interested me and it’s great that Berry offers it through the LifeWorks program,” Burchfield said. “It’s a unique job to have and it allows us to care for our peers.”