What are YOU doing?

So let me ask you a few questions.  Are you frustrated at times with being a Certified Athletic Trainer?  Do you feel like our profession does not get the respect it deserves?  Do you feel you are not compensated appropriately for the services you provide? Are you feeling burnt out and wanting to leave the profession?   

If you answered yes to any of those, let me ask you a few more questions.  What are YOU willing to do about it?   What do YOU do to promote the profession. Are YOU involved in your state organization? What about your district? NATA?  If your answer to all of those is "no", that needs to change.

I hear plenty of people complain about many of these issues above and a whole lot more.  I certainly agree and sympathize with all of these problems.  What I can't stand however is when those same people do nothing about it.  If you do nothing to get involved in the solution then you are part of the problem.  

We are all busy.  We all need more hours in the day.  I am by no means saying that everyone must devote every waking minute of their existence to becoming active.  However, it doesn't take much to get involved, and whatever time you have to give will surely be appreciated by any of those organizations.  It can be as simple as being a part of a committee or offering to help out with an event. There is always something that can be done from the smallest commitment to becoming heavily involved.  

Not a big fan of your state or district organization? I know there are people that feel that way.  You can use that as motivation to become more active to change the reasons you are turned off to becoming involved.  Still not interested?  Then become active locally in your community.  Be an ambassador for the profession.  Offer your services to host an in-service for youth coaches or other community programs.  There are so many things you can do to help promote the profession.  You would be AMAZED at the tremendous impact even the smallest gestures can have.   

If we are going to advance this profession in the eyes of the public, if we are going to advance this profession in the eyes of the medical community, if we are going to make this profession one we can all have long and healthy careers in, then things need to change.  We ALL need to make an effort to get involved in some way, shape or form at being a part of the solution.  We need to work together to make this profession what we all KNOW it can be. What it can be for us, and what it can be for the athletes.

#AT4ALL

Todd

Welcome to the Blog

     So way back in the spring of 1994 at the University of Kansas (ROCK CHALK, JAYHAWK) I decided I was going to change my major to Athletic Training.  I remember sitting down with Head Athletic Trainer, and now NATA Hall of Fame member, Lynn Bott in the bowels of Allen Field House.  The Athletic Training Room was being  remodeled so he was in a temporary office.  He told me about the program, what it would entail, and what I would have ahead of me.  I remember walking across campus after the meeting and feeling comfortable with my decision, but who really knew at that point.
My next memories involve being in the training room for my required observation hours.  We were told that we had to do 25 hours while enrolled in the Care and Prevention of Athletic Injury Course in order to apply to the Athletic Training Program.  From the moment I stepped foot in the Training Room, I knew I was HOME.  I ended up with around 128 hours of observation that semester.  I simply couldn't get enough. I
immediately felt the need to be there as much as possible.  It wasn't because I felt that it would look better as I applied to the program, but rather every moment was a learning experience.  There was always something else to see, to learn, to be a part of.  There was always a new injury being evaluated, a new rehab exercise being taught, a new case to follow.  I was hooked.  This was what I wanted to do for my career.  No question about it.
Here I am almost 19 years after finding my path. In my 17th year as a Certified Athletic Trainer, I still love what I do. What about you? Are you a die hard like me? Are you burnt out? Are you frustrated?
It has always bothered me when a strong colleague, a good Certified Athletic Trainer, leaves the profession.  This blog is my small contribution to help other colleagues stay in love with what they do. If we want the Profession of Athletic Training to grow, we need strong professionals to make that happen. Some posts might involve career advice, drawing from things I have dealt with along the way.  Some posts might be sharing a comical story that only a fellow Certified Athletic Trainer would be amused by.  Some posts might be me stepping up onto my soap box on a specific topic. (yeah...expect more than a few of those).
So enjoy, and if you read something you like, leave a comment and spread the word.

#AT4EVER
#AT4ALL

Todd