October 30, 2012

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Affton High School

Affton High School – Home of the Cougars!
By: Katie Schneebeck (SLU MAT Class of 2013) and Jay Maturan (SLU MAT Class of 2014)


It’s official! We bleed purple and yellow! Located just 15 minutes from SLU’s medical campus, Affton High School has become a home to us. Most students at Affton know our humble Athletic Training room as a safe haven surrounded by nutritional facts, handouts, and a place where “Becky’s Always Right.”

Becky Stigen is our fearless leader and preceptor, here at Affton .  She teaches us everything from taping ankles to her greatest life lessons. Becky is dedicated to her job as a teacher and friend. She cries at the end of almost every season. She is the mom of all the teams and treats each player as if they are her own kid. Parents know that their sons and daughters are taken good care of in her hands, and we’re happy to be under her wing as her students.

Katie Schneebeck (SLU MAT Class of 2013), Becky Stigen ATC and Jay Maturan (SLU MAT Class of 2014)
Affton has certainly become a place where students can gain a better perspective on how life will be after graduation. Becky provides a great deal of guidance, but she lets us take the reins, giving us a realistic look into our futures. We are in charge of several athletes’ rehabilitation programs and manage the flow of the Athletic Training Room after school. Some students even come to us to train before their sport even begins! Coaches have started asking us (Becky’s handy-dandy assistants) questions about their athletes. We are certainly treated with a great deal of respect, and coaches know that Saint Louis University has taught us well.

As graduate students in SLU’s Athletic Training Program, Affton is a mecca of information and serves to teach us the bigger picture in Athletic Training. We are included in every aspect of each sport. We see all the in’s and out’s of an athletic program, write proposals for modalities, and provide information for parents to take home for their sons and daughters. When people look at our teams and see us on the end of the bench, we hope they realize that Affton takes a lot of pride in their Athletic Training staff. We received free T-shirts and parents bring us food before every football game.

We look forward to basketball, women’s swimming, and wrestling this next season. GO COUGARS!

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

October 28, 2012

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Webster Groves High School


Webster Groves High School - Home of the Statesmen!
By:  Adriana Black (SLU MAT Class of 2013), Abby Breseman and Ann Debartolo (SLU MAT Class of 2014)

Being dressed up in Halloween colors every day has become the norm for us here at Webster Groves High School (WGHS). This is Adriana Black’s second year in the master’s Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) at Saint Louis University (SLU) and she is the PY2-MAT Class of 2013. This is Ann DeBartolo and Abby Breseman’s first year in the program as PY1’s-MAT Class of 2014. We are all under the guidance, support, and supervision of WGHS’s athletic trainer, Sean Wright, ATC. 
Sean Wright ATC, Clinical Preceptor and Head Athletic Trainer  at Webster Groves HS.
For all of us, this is our first high school athletic training experience. During the fall, that also means that it is our first exposure to working with football. That has been the central piece of our clinical experience. WGHS has a young team, but also a very talented team that is doing better and going farther than anyone expected during the beginning of the season. With five previously won state titles under their belt, the Webster Groves Statesmen can never be counted out. 

Adriana Black (SLU MAT Class of 2013) wrapping a soccer player's leg
In addition to football during the fall, we have also had the privilege of working with girls and boys’ cross country, girls’ field hockey, boys’ soccer, girls’ softball, and girls’ volleyball. We assist Sean with both the practices and games to all the sports in season. During the games of all sports except football, we as the WGHS medial staff are also in charge of covering any injuries to student athletes from the opposing teams.

Abby Breseman (SLU MAT Class of 2014) stretching a player at a football game.
As soon as school lets out at 2:35 PM, we are expected in WGHS’s athletic training room ready for anything that the student athletes may present with on any given day. Under the supervision of Sean Wright, we are responsible for triage and assessing any athletes that come in with new or preexisting injuries by conducting a full musculoskeletal exam. After the student athletes sustain injuries and have been assessed by us or referred to our team physician depending on the severity of their injury, many times they have to undergo some physical therapy. Sometimes athletes choose to do their physical therapy at a clinic, but many times we rehab them back ourselves. We like to keep the athletes “in-house” as much as possible since we work with them every day regardless and have more information on their injury and how it happened. Many times we see the injury happen first-hand and can start rehab with the athletes the very next day. 
Ann Debartolo (SLU MAT Class of 2014) taping a player at a football game.
So far it is definitely safe to say that all of us are thoroughly enjoying our clinical rotation at a Webster Groves High School. We have really enjoyed working football and are not looking forward to the end of their season. We hope the team can pull off more wins with districts coming up. We are, however, looking forward to basketball season with the Statesmen, as they also have been a powerhouse in years passed. Though Adriana will be there all year, Ann and Abby will be transferred to another location come January, and neither one is ready to leave their orange and black apparel behind quite yet.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

October 26, 2012

SLU AT Faculty and Students Rock and Roll!

Faculty and students of the SLU Athletic Training Program participated as medical volunteers and runners in the 2nd annual TASK Rock ‘n’ Roll St. Louis Marathon & ½ Marathon presented by the Quinn Family Charitable Fund on Sunday, October 21, 2012.

SLU AT students Dan Herrin and Kelley DeGreeff (MAT Class of 2014) relax after  finishing the Rock and Roll half-marathon.
The following members of the SLU AT program served as medical volunteers for the 2012 Rock & Roll Marathon:
Dr. Kitty Newsham (faculty member)
Dr. Jason Bennett (faculty member)
Emily Grace (MAT Class of 2014)
Alex Sawyer (MAT Class of 2013)
Mary Rhatigan (MAT Class of 2014)
Katie Herington (MAT Class of 2013)
Hayley Dehm (MAT Class of 2016)
Andria Lampe (MAT Class of 2015)
Sarah Hall (MAT Class of 2013)
AJ Butler (MAT Class of 2016)

October 23, 2012

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Parkway Central High School


Parkway Central High School, Home of the Colts!
by: Sarah Hall (SLU MAT Class of 2013)


Matt Markelz ATC and Sarah Hall (SLU MAT Class of 2013) tend to a  football player.
Parkway Central High School is a great school located off highway 141 in Chesterfield, Missouri.  It is a part of the Parkway School District.  At PCHS they have a wide variety of sports such as football, soccer, volleyball, softball, tennis, cross country, track, water polo, swimming and diving, basketball, and baseball.  Matt Markelz ATC is the PCHS athletic trainer contracted through PRORehab.


During the day Matt works at the ProRehab administration office and in the afternoon/evenings he can be found covering practice games at PCHS.  During my time here I have been able to perform numerous evaluations, discuss injuries with the team doctor, and help athletes return to play.  Matt works closely with the school’s athletic director and coaches to know upcoming game schedules and keep everyone informed of athletes current conditions.

Sarah pitches in for an injured athlete on a rainy night.
This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

October 17, 2012

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindenwood University-Belleville


Life at Lindenwood-Belleville University
By: Alex Sawyer & Katie Mae Herington (SLU MAT Class of 2013)

Our first few days at Lindenwood-Belleville University were early ones.  Preseason football started July 28th at 5:00 a.m. and it took some getting used to.  Lindenwood-Belleville has been a unique experience.  Not only did we have to adapt to early mornings and long hours, but the football team was starting its inaugural season.  Therefore we had over one hundred new athletes to get to know as well as learning how a new program gets on its feet.  With five SLU AT students (two PY2, three PY1) at LBU we quickly got into a routine.  Three of us have ended up covering football full-time and every day is a learning experience.
Blake Hudspeth and Emily Grace (SLU MAT Class of 2014) with Katie Herington and Alex Sawyer (SLU MAT Class of 2013)
As PY2’s we’ve gotten a lot of hands on experience assisting with football.  We’ve spent almost everyday for three months with the football team, covering every practice and every game, home or away.  Some trips have been longer then others, like the twelve hour bus ride to Oklahoma Panhandle State University.  Or the shorter but more interesting ride to Lawrence, KS that involved leaking bus windows, no wi-fi, broken tvs, and our bus losing a mirror to a tree. 

William Dill ATC, Head Athletic Trainer, told us from the beginning to make this place our own, and in a way we have.  We’ve become a weird little family.  Once football season wraps up, we’ll be assisting in covering men’s and women’s basketball as well as men’s and women’s wrestling.  LBU has twenty-three sports so there’s always someone in the athletic training room that needs help. 

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

October 16, 2012

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight: Washington University - St. Louis



Washington University, Home of the Bears
By: Vince DiRenzo, Bridget Quirk and Ryan Vallo, SLU MAT Class of 2013

Saint Louis University Athletic Training students Bridget Quirk, Vince Di Renzo, and Ryan Vallo are working with the sports medicine staff at Washington University- St. Louis for the 2012-13 academic year.  They are all part of the 2013 Master of Athletic Training class.  Washington University serves as a premier clinical site for both professional year 1 and professional year 2 students.  Washington University is a NCAA Division III University known for its competitive athletics and prestigious academics.  Currently, Wash U has four full time athletic trainers on staff: Rick Larsen, ATC, Jim Anderson, ATC, Mary Tarzon, ATC, and Saint Louis Athletic Training Program alum, Jacob Blasingame, ATC.  During the academic cycle, each athletic training student is assigned to a preceptor at the site that further enhances each student’s learning opportunity.

Vince works primarily with Rick Larsen, the Head Athletic Trainer at Wash U.  Rick has been working at Wash U for 30 plus years, and is constantly looking for ways to improve the efficiency of the program.  Rick also serves on the SLU Athletic Training Program Advisory Board.  Vince will be aiding Rick with varsity football coverage during the fall, assisting with basketball in the winter, and covering some baseball in the spring. 
Vince DiRenzo, Jim Anderson ATC, Bridget Quirk and Ryan Vallo
 
Bridget Quirk currently assists Jim Anderson and Jacob Blasingame covering Men’s and Women’s Soccer.  During winter, she will help cover women’s basketball and softball in the spring.  Jim is in his second year as part of the sports medicine staff at Wash U.  Before coming to Wash U, Jim was the head athletic trainer for the St. Louis Rams for over 20 years.  He brings an abundance of knowledge and experience that enables students to learn.  Jacob is in his first year as part of the staff.  Previously, he was an adjunct faculty member at Saint Louis University and covered women’s field hockey.  While part of the SLU AT Program, he did a semester rotation at Washington University under Rick Larsen.

Ryan Vallo assists Mary Tarzon covering women’s volleyball.  He will also help cover men’s basketball in the winter and track and field in the spring.  Mary is in her first year as part of the sports medicine staff as well.  Previously, she earned her masters at the University of Indiana and her bachelors at Xavier University.  She is originally from the St. Louis area and is eager to enable other student’s learning opportunities.

Each day at Wash U creates a new and unique opportunity for the athletic training students currently assigned there.  They work with the full time athletic training staff, interact with team physicians, in order to deliver the best treatment available to student athletes.  The athletic training students are the first to evaluate the athletes, narrow down the problem, and develop a treatment plan that is appropriate to each case.  If they have questions, they can ask any of the ATCs on staff.  They are always there to help and make sure your experience reaches its full potential.  They want to learn as much from you as you can learn from them.  In 2014, Wash U will be renovating their facilities with a new athletic training room.  The new facility hopes to be completed by 2015 and will have over 2500 square feet dedicated to the athletic training portion.  As the athletic training profession continues to evolve, so must the environment that influences the successful return of the athlete.

This is one of a series of posts by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training students featuring their clinical site and their preceptors. The number, quality and diversity of clinical instruction are major assets for the SLU AT Program.

October 10, 2012

SLU AT Faculty Member and 6 Students Inducted into National Allied Health Honor Society



The Saint Louis University chapter of Alpha Eta, the national allied health honor society, inducted its new 2012 members on October 10, 2012 in the Multipurpose Room of the Allied Health Building. To be eligible for Alpha Eta, students and faculty must show a history of excellence in scholarship and service.  The minimum GPA  is 3.5 for undergraduate members and 3.8 for post-baccalaureate/graduate members.

The new inductees were:

  • Dr. Kitty Newsham, SLU AT Faculty Member
  • Bridget Quirk, SLU MAT Class of 2013
  • Sarah Reifsteck, SLU MAT Class of 2013
  • Ann Debartolo, SLU MAT Class of 2014
  • Kelley DeGreeff, SLU MAT Class of 2014
  • Kelly Peck, SLU MAT Class of 2014
  • Tyler Wood, SLU MAT Class of 2014

This year's group is the largest group ever for the SLU AT program....congratulations!

SLU AT faculty member Dr. Kitty Newsham, Sarah Reifsteck (SLU MAT Class of 2013), Tyler Wood (SLU MAT Class of 2014), Kelly Peck (SLU MAT Class of 2014), Kelley DeGreeff (SLU MAT Class of 2014), Ann Debartolo (SLU MAT Class of 2014) and Bridget Quirk (SLU MAT Class of 2013) at 2012 Alpha Eta Initiation Ceremony