Breaking Barriers

As a female athletic trainer, it feels like it is so tough to consider myself as an equal to male athletic trainers.  Males dominate this profession and are usually the ones to get hired for jobs, get paid more, and seem to get the respect of their peers and athletes more.  However, this is not the case for Julie Max, the director of sports medicine (and head ATC) at Cal State Fullerton.  She has been there for 35 years and has broken so many barriers.  While an athletic training student at Fullerton University, she was the first female student to be able to work with the football team.  In 2000, she was elected as the first female president of the NATA and served 2 terms.  She is also in the NATA Hall of Fame.  She is the most positive person in the ATR so when athletes are having a bad day, they feel comfortable talking to her.  She also remains positive so that her staff can feel that same positive energy when they are feeling fatigued after a long week.  That positive energy resonates throughout the whole ATR.  She states that she is there to save lives, and I think that's exactly how it should be.  Athletic trainers are not just people who tape ankles day in and day out.  We are there to be the first responder to all injuries, mild or catastrophic.  We have the abilities to save lives and careers of athletes.  Athletic trainers are also there to be a support system, have that positive energy that Max has, to gain the trust of the athletes.  There have been so many times I was not only an athletic trainer to my athletes, I was a confidant, someone they could come talk to if they were having a bad day on or off the field.  In this article, Max touches on that as well.  I think we wear many hats in this field, and it's only a matter of time until more barriers are broken from female athletic trainers!

Below is a link to Julie Max's story.  She is an incredible athletic trainer!

http://www.fwatad8.org/athletic-trainer-julie-max-a-titan-through-and-through/

Non-Traditional Athletic Training Jobs

As the winter season is approaching, I think back to when I was a dancer in "The Nutcracker".  During that production, we did not have athletic trainers, as our production was so small.  But did you ever think you could be an athletic trainer for the New York Ballet Company?  Or Cirque del Soliel?  Well, you can!  Those major productions have athletic trainers.  I want to share with you my experience of being an athletic trainer in a non-traditional setting.  One summer, I was the ATC for the shows at Hershey Park.  I thought it was going to be a lot of fun, but I also knew it would be hard work.  These performers, though it wasn't Broadway, were just as great as any performer out there.  The injuries I saw were a lot of overuse injuries, especially in the knees, hips, and back.  It was an interesting field to be in because they didn't exactly have back ups for them.  There was maybe 1 back up performer per show.  Which means... they could NOT get hurt.  If they did, they needed to get back out there right away.  No matter what the injury was, they were going to dance and perform.  I saw injuries from sprained ankles to fractured ribs.  It was a broad spectrum.  I quickly learned how to deal with these injuries so they can keep performing.  Usually, I told the captain of the show that they needed to re-block the show so a certain performer didn't have to do hard dance moves or jump onto a box or something of the sort.  I also learned very quickly how I was not their main concern.  These people were trying to make it big.  If I got in their way, they would let me know about it.  Coming from a high school and being able to talk to my athletes about the dangers of continuing to play on certain injuries did not translate well to the performing arts world.  There was some fighting, as there is with all injuries, but I was not the person with the last call...  The performers were.  It was an experience I'll never forget.

Has anyone else worked a non-traditional job that you would like to share about?  Leave a comment below!  And below, there is an article about athletic trainers working with dancers.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/18/university-athletic-training-students-work-with-da/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS

Traumatic Events

I'm going to start this post saying that this is a personal experience. I have been thinking a lot lately about my first job out of grad school. I was at a high school in Columbia, MD (Hammond High School). It was a great atmosphere. The athletes were amazing. I got to go back last weekend for the homecoming game and I saw a whole bunch of athletes that I worked very closely with. There were a few I didn't get to see, though. I have been wondering about one athlete in particular whom I haven't seen sjnce I left. I'm going to tell you his story...

He was a basketball player in sophomore year in high school. He decided he wanted to run outdoor track in the spring this particular year. He came to the ATR one day complaing about arch pain in his right foot. Said it had been there for a while, but thought it would go away. It got worse, so he came to see me. He had all the signs and symptoms of plantar fasciitis, and we treated as such. The next day he came back and said he was feeling better, what we did was working. During practice, he came inside again and told me his foot felt numb. He took his shoe and sock off and the sole of his foot and the tips of his toes were bleach white. His foot was very cold. But after a few minutes of being inside in the warmth (it was pretty cold ans rainy outside), his foot went back to normal color and it was warm and no longer numb. I told him he needed to come back if it happened again because it could be serious, though there was a better chance that he had his shoe too tight or he wasnt used to running outside in the rain. I even talked about Raynoud's. I didn't seehim for 2 days, and wheni saw him again, he was on crutches. Said his pain was so bad he couldn't walk on it. He had a doctor's appointment scheduled for that afternoon and said his mom would call me when they found out what was going on. This was a Thursday. The following Monday I heard from my AD. The athlete was hospitalized. He had blot clots running through his lower leg. I called his mom and cried and kept apologizing. She reassured me that it wasn't my fault. That they had been to 4 doctors because no one knew what happened. First they said he sprained his foot, then the next doctor said it was broken. That nught he woke up in excruiating pain and went to the local hospital, who couldbt figure it out. They sent him to John's Hopkins and they ran a whole bunch of tests to figure it out. I kniw that this has been a long story, so I'll spare the rest of the details for the folowing article. But I do want to tell you that he did have a BTK amputation. I was in touch with his mom for a long time. It took me even longer to accept what happened. I still beat myself up about it because I keep thinking I could have done more. He played basketball last year. He can't wait to play this year. He is such an amazing kid. So much courage...

Here's the story and feel free to comment below if you have ever had a traumatic injury before.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-ed-block-ture-0312-20150312-story.html

My favorite season is football season!

Sorry for being MIA the last few days. I'm in Denver visiting a friend and don't have access to a computer. But I didn't forget about you guys!

I wanted to make a tribute to football season today. I know it's only Wednesday and football for the week doesn't start until tomorrow, but I wanted to share a story with you. Ariko Iso has an incredible story. She was an assistant athletic trainer for the Pittsburgh Steelers and in recent years has become thw head athletic trainer for the football program at Oregon State University. HEAD athletic trainer for the football program at a major university? And she's a woman? That's unheard of! But she did it. I know that when I was watching football as a graduate student, I always joked that one day I would be an ATC in the NFL. Iso has made this dream more of a reality not just for me, but all women in the profession. Iso is also a panelist for the Women in Sports Seminar, inspiring women like you and me to follow our dreams. She is a true inspiration in the profession. You can read part of her story in this article posted below. She has an amazing story if you want to read more about her!

http://www.gnacsports.com/gnac/news/2013-14/3393/iso-brings-steel-pillars-to-women-in-sports-seminar/

How can an athletic trainer become more marketable?

How many of you have asked yourself this questions?  I know I have been asking myself this ever since I got certified.  I have yet to get any other certifications, mainly because I do not know which one I want to pursue.  Which ones will help me become a better, more marketable athletic trainer?  I have always wanted to get the CSCS certification, and that seems like a good one to start with.  We already have the knowledge of the certification, as we have already gone through school to know all the information.  But what about PES, FMS, CES?  All of these sound very appealing.  Thankfully, many schools already teach FMS in athletic training classes.  Do any of them actually certify you in FMS?  I know mine didn't... we just learned about it and why it's helpful.  Don't know what FMS is?  Well...  It stands for Functional Movement Screening.  It is a tool to help you identify movement patterns key to functioning normally.  There is a grading system, and it is based on if the individual is able to do the movement correctly and without pain.  It helps athletic trainers know what limitations their athletes have.  I do not particularly like this screen because it is based on if the individual doesn't have pain.  Let's be honest, the only reason an athlete is coming to you is if they HAVE pain!  Though I have not learned the technique yet, I know a lot of ATCs like the Selevtive Functional Movement Assesmet (SFMA) better.  It is a screening that allows the individual to still be in pain when going through the assessment.  You can learn which movements cause pain and which don't.  It helps identify the problem and correct it.  I think this is a better tool for ATCs to use.

Other certifications that can be used to make yourself marketable are the PES (Performance Enhancement Specialist) and the CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist).  Both of these certifications help you pass along new and exciting performance information to your athletes.  The CSCS certification is more popular that PES, but both are great to have.

Among other certifications that are popular with athletic trainers are: Graston Technique, Kinesio-taping, massage therapy, physical therapist, and others.  Though the last 2 require schooling, they could be great to have to make you a more marketable ATC.  A forewarning...  All of these certifications listed above take time and cost money.  If you have the time and the cash for any of these things, do yourself a favor and get some more credentials!  It's great to have, and you'll learn so much more about your abilities as an ATC!  I can't wait for the day I have some time to get one of these!

Below is a link for more information about how to become a more marketable athletic trainer.  Do any of you have any of these certifications?  If so, how have they helped you as an ATC?  Comment below!!

http://thesportdigest.com/2011/08/athletic-trainers-are-professionals-too/

A little more about pro sports

Probably the most famous female athletic trainer in recent news is Sue Falsone.  She was promoted to the head athletic trainer position for the LA Dodgers in 2011.  She was only with them for 2 seasons and then pursued other goals.  She was the highlight in sports media for a lot longer than the 15 minutes of fame most people get.  I strive to be like her every day.  I've always wanted to be an ATC in professional sports.  I'm lucky that I was given the job I currently have in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and I love my job... but I don't think I'm done here.  I want to make a difference like Sue.  I think all ATCs should want that.  Whether it be in high school, college, or professional sports, all ATCs, not just females, should want to make the best impact they can.  Sue Falsone should be a role model to all us women out there to strive for the best, to be the best.  I think the best part about this story is not just that she was the first female head athletic trainer, it's that her assistant was also female!  Two females on an MLB team.  It's just not heard of.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/27222246/

Another story I have today is about Sonia Gysland.  She is an athletic trainer for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  She is only the 2nd female ATC in the NFL.  Only the 2nd!!  That blows my mind.  Her story is quite amazing.  I won't go into detail, as you can read her story in the link posted.  My favorite part about this article is when she says, “I thrive on people doubting my abilities as a female.”  It's so powerful, and so right.  There are so many athletes, coaches, etc. that doubt our abilities as females, especially in professional sports.  That shouldn't deter you from reaching your ultimate goal, whatever it might be.  There has been an increase of female interest in athletic training, as it should be.  Read Sonia's story below.  It's short and sweet, but maybe it will make you want to learn more about her.  I know I would like to know how she got started!

http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2013/apr/steelers-trainer-041513.html

Let's get emotional...

So...  Females by nature are more emotional than men.  It's just in our genes.  I've learned that as an athletic trainer, you can't get too emotional, you can't show that you have feelings, because then you tend to seem weak.  Everyone wants a strong ATC by their side.  But something happened today that I want to share with you all.  The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, my team, my brothers, my second family.... We unfortunately lost today in the ALPB Championship series.  It's a 5 game series and we were down 2-1 in the series.  Today was a big day.  We needed to win.  We needed to move on to tomorrow.  There were a few guys in the game that wanted to be in that game so bad even though they weren't 100%.  I would have never known as a spectator that they were even feeling any pain or discomfort.  They played their butts off.  My emotions ran wild today.  One player in particular, I haven't seen run, REALLY run, in 2 months.  And he ran as though he wasn't hurt.  That emotion I felt was joy, even pride.  He had a hell of a game, and I am so happy with how he played.  Another player had a hurt hand, and you would have never guessed it with all the fly balls he caught.  Such amazing athletes these guys are.  They wanted to win so badly.  The game was tied 1-1 in the 7th inning and the bad guys scored 2 runs.  The bottom of the 9th inning came.  This is our favorite time to hit and get runs.  But the bad guys prevailed.  I couldn't help but shed a few tears.  Did the other team want it more?  I don't think so.  The Blue Crabs haven't had a Championship ever and the opposing team has had 5.  This was our chance.  These guys played their hearts out.  They made it so far.  But what happens to the athletic trainer?  Are we allowed to show emotion?  Or are we supposed to be the strong ones?  I know as a female, I have a lot of emotions and I tend to show them.  After this loss, I am sitting in my office typing this and trying to hold back the tears.  I think it's a little different for me too.  This was my first year as a professional sports ATC and these guys have welcomed me with open arms.  I couldn't have asked for a better group of guys.  Like I said...  I have 30 brothers here, and I don't want to walk away sad.  Unfortunately, that's what I'm going to have to do.  I would have gotten emotional when saying my goodbyes if we won, too, but I think this feeling isn't the feeling I want to have.  So I ask you, readers, how emotional are you when it comes to big game losses or when you feel like you can't get someone healthy or even saying goodbye?  I know I'm pretty upset about all of that....

I don't have an article today.  I don't know if I need one here.  But I do want to end with a huge thank you to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  Between the front desk, the coaching staff, and the awesome players I had the opportunity to work with this year....  Thank you!  You have all made my first year with the Blue Crabs amazing.  It was worth all the late nights, the early mornings, the arguments of who was cleared to play or not, and the 148 games that we played together.  I can't wait until next year!

Female Athletic Trainers in Male Sports

Good morning everyone!  I wanted to talk today about female ATCs in male sports.  Being a woman athletic trainer for a professional baseball team, this hits home.  I was reading an article today that was published in July of 2010, and I think even 5 years later it still applies.  How do males respond to female athletic trainers in their locker room?  I thankfully work with a great group of 30 guys and we get along just fine, but I have had a few of them come up to me and tell me they've never had a woman athletic trainer before.  Was I shocked?  No.  Not at all.  But for them to be so surprised that I was their ATC was a different story.  The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.  We have 8 teams in the league and 4 of those teams have female athletic trainers, me included.  The sad part of this whole thing is that I was shocked that there were that many women.  I thought to myself "This isn't normal for a professional male sport to have all these females working as athletic trainers."  I don't know why I thought that though.  Women are making strides in this profession, and I thankfully can say I'm one of them.  But why is everyone's mentality that women cannot work in a male sport?  Which brings me to the article that I read and will post at the end of this.  I think the mentality doesn't come from anyone within the profession.  I think it comes from the athletes in that sport.  Male athletes feel more comfortable being treated by male athletic trainers.  It's just their nature.  I don't know if it is because they think the men are stronger or have more knowledge or what, but I do agree that they are more comfortable.  For example...  My supervisor is a male.  He works over at our physical therapy office that I work at in the off season.  When the players met him, I could tell right away how comfortable they were with him more than me.  I have one player in particular that when he gets hurt, he always asks to go to him.  I took offense to that in the beginning.  I always thought this player didn't trust me and my abilities.  But when it got further into the season, I think I've realized the player is just more comfortable with him.  Now, this player has had a female athletic trainer before, and I don't know if he ever wanted the opinion of a male from her, but I wouldn't be surprised.  I think as females, we need to "train" the males to trust us and understand that we know what we're doing just as much as the male athletic trainers.  I think once they realize that we're not here to be their mother and console them with every little thing, they will understand that we are just as capable as our male counterpart.

Alright, so here is the article.  It's short and sweet.  Go read it.  It makes a lot of sense why men are more prevalent in male sports.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100713122842.htm

This is for you girls... Men, you could probably learn a thing or two as well!

Hello blogging world!  I'm going to start off my first post with a bit about myself.  My name is Teresa Gruchacz and I am an athletic trainer for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  The Blue Crabs are an Independent League baseball team.  If you live in or near southern Maryland, you should come check us out next season!  I went to school for my athletic training degree starting at Penn State and majoring in Kinesiology and then got my master's in Athletic Training at Seton Hall.  I have been in the profession for just over 3 years now.  My main goal in this profession is to be a stand out female ATC in professional sports.  I got this opportunity this past April (2015) with the Blue Crabs.  So far, I have had an amazing journey.

I wanted to start a blog because I think there's a lot to learn out there, especially when it comes to being a female ATC.  This profession is male dominated for many reasons, but I don't think that should deter females from getting certified or trying to do big things in this profession.  There are plenty of women in the profession doing just that!

I want this blog to be about you all and what you want to learn and know about.  I want to post things about women doing amazing things in this profession.  I want to teach you all what I'm learning as a professional sports ATC.  I think there is a lot to learn out there about the profession, and I intend to know it, learn it, and give back.  I think starting this blog is a great way to engage all the female ATCs out there and make a connection.

I think that's all for now.  I'm going to leave you with a little homework.  Read the following article.  Aylssa Alpert is the Head Athletic Trainer for the New York Cosmos, a professional soccer team.  She talks about being a female ATC in professional sports and the rarity of women as the head athletic trainer in a men's sport.  I think it's a great read.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/athletes-life/article/10643226/espnw-female-athletic-trainers-making-strides

Let me know what you think!  And if you have any questions or anything you want me to talk about, please let me know!