June 10, 2014

SLU Student Connects Her Experience as a Soccer Player to Her Future Career as an AT

New PY1 Student Blog Post - Andrea Strebler
By: Andrea Strebler (MAT Class of 2016)

I have only been in the program one year now but I have truly enjoyed everything I have learned and experienced. From my first attempt at an ankle tape to direct observing the PY1’s and PY2’s actually addressing athletes and performing the proper techniques, every moment is different and exciting. Every athlete and injury is different and yet there are ways to treat and help the athlete back to healthy one-hundred percent performance.

What I love most about this major is the constant movement and excitement. I have played basketball, volleyball, tennis, racquetball, softball and mostly soccer so the hands aspect of Athletic Training is very attractive to me. I currently play soccer of the women’s soccer team of Saint Louis University and have seen firsthand many ACL tears, concussions, sprained ankles, pulled muscles and many more. With all this experience in watching injury, Athletic Training has opened my eyes to the afterwards assessment and treatment of how to make the athlete better and to get them back as quick and efficiently as possible.

This past weekend my team and I had a double header and in the second game one of my teammates smacked her head on the goal post. When our AT ran over to assess her head injury, I had a sudden urge to go with her to assess my teammate. I have never felt as if I could help in that way before, I am always concerned on if my teammate is okay or not but this was different. My new knowledge and experience from direct observing and class is changing my way of thinking and has bettered my awareness of what is going on around me during a game.

This is one of a series of blog posts written by students entering the professional phase of the SLU AT Program as a part of MAT 300 - AT Student Development II.

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