Iowa - Are you serious?

Iowa is trying to pass a bill that will require athletic trainers at all varsity sporting events.  If that doesn't already make you irritated, it gets better.  ATs will be there to identify concussions.  That's it.  That's all they talk about the ATs being there for.  Oh...  It still gets better.  Salary for these athletic trainers is between $2400 and $3900 a year. A YEAR.  Think about it.  Iowa thinks that only those 4 sports encounter concussions.  And they believe that an athletic trainer only needs to be there for games.  AND they are providing a very insulting salary of $2400 a year.  Who else is offended by this?  I sure am!  I get it.  They are trying to take the coach out of the decision making process, and since Iowa doesn't have ATs in every school, this bill makes sense.  However, what happens when a JV football player goes down with an ACL injury during practice?  Where's the athletic trainer then? Or what happens when a baseball player is up at bat and gets drilled in the head with a 80 mph pitch and gets a concussion?  Where's the athletic trainer then?  There are no reasons for ATs to not be in a high school for all practices and games.  The funding should be put in place.  But that's the only thing that school officials care about.  The funding.  The AD at Van Meter High School is particularly annoyed about it.  He says, "It's costing us between $5000-$7000 to have these people in place.There are going to be districts that struggle with this bill."  THESE PEOPLE?!  These "people" are medically licensed professionals that can evaluate, rehabilitate, and prevent injuries among other things.  Oh... and they can also SAVE LIVES.  But I guess the school board doesn't care about all of that because these people are going to cut into a school's budget.  It's sad that administration can't understand the importance of an athletic trainer and what they actually do and provide for the school.  This whole bill is insulting, discouraging, and frankly a joke.

A message to the state of Iowa:  Pay for an athletic trainer.  "These people" are capable of a lot more than just identifying concussions.  I understand this is a big thing with this movie that came out recently, but it's not all we are capable of doing.  Athletic trainers are medically licensed to keep your student-athletes on the field.  Your perception of us is skewed.  Look into the profession.  Realize that this bill is insulting to the profession.  You're going to be better off hiring a full time AT.  Think about it.

http://whotv.com/2016/02/11/anti-concussion-bill-worries-some-district-athletic-directors/
http://www.athleticbusiness.com/high-school/iowa-bill-would-require-trainers-at-athletic-events.html