The Musselman athletic training program is a great program offered at the high school and has see growth in recent years under head athletic trainer, Mrs.Kiser.
“My Athletic training student aides are a huge help to me everyday. Their main tasks are to help me with signing athletes in and recording their treatments for the day, setting up waters and medical supplies for practices, packing team medical kits for away games, helping with some taping like ankles and wrists, and cleaning up the athletic training room at the end of the day,” explained, Mrs. Kiser.
Kiser picks a couple students that have signed up to help educate them to gain skills to be trainer.
In addition to being the head trainer, Kiser also has a class for teaching athletic training. From this class, students don’t get into the program, but many choose to join after.
According to Mrs. Kiser, “I think my athletic training class is fun. I think it’s very hands-on but you still have to study and learn the material. It’s a class where you have to pay attention and know what we are talking about but if you do that its an easy B. If you put in your best foot forward probably even an easy A. All kinds of skills that we learn, especially if you take it with a friend it’s a lot of fun. A lot of partner work.”
In total, Kiser has had about five students become athletic trainers all four years that she’s been at Musselman, and she hopes to see it continue to grow.
Makayla Bagnell, is one of the student athletic trainers identified by Mrs. Kiser as a stand out student.
“She has been with me since the end of her freshman year and now she’s a senior so she’s been great to be a leader and help every group of all my younger kids that have come in and help train them and say how things are done [such as] here’s how to organize the tapping table, gather the med kit, get things packed up for away games. Keeps me organized a little bit. She’s been top notch with her leadership skills this year.”
When asked how one gets involved with the program, Kiser stated, “About twice a year I open up applications and those are available on the announcements. Mr. Welch’s announcements say that they are open and here’s when they are due and you just come by the gym hallway and you can pick up an application and you fill it out. There are a bunch of different parts.”
Kiser went on to explain that the application includes essay questions, letters of recommendation, and students must have a high enough GPA to be considered.
Mrs. Kiser’s favorite part about being an athlete trainer here at the high school is she loves being an alumna. She loves being back and seeing the coaches and people’s siblings that she went to school with, but she loves the traditions and getting to see all of the athletes as well.
“That’s my favorite thing about working in a secondary school. I get to see soccer, volleyball, wrestlings, basketball, baseball, football, cheerleading. I get to see everyone compete in some way all throughout the year. I’m not stuck with one sport,” stated Kiser.
Mrs. Kiser is wanting to extend the program and hopefully have more people interested in joining. The start of extending the program, the athletic training room in the high school is getting renovations done to it. Kiser and the athletic training program have been a great addition to our school.
