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.