April 14, 2015

SLU AT Students Have a Great Day with the USA Women's Soccer National Team


Women's Soccer at Busch Stadium - United States vs New Zealand
By: Lauren Scalise and Andrea Strebler (MAT Class of 2016)

Having played club, high school and college soccer, the sport has been a huge part of our lives since we were young kids. We wanted to continue to feel a part of the competitive atmosphere; that is why we chose to pursue our careers in Athletic Training.



We had the rare and special opportunity on the stretcher crew with Athletico/PRORehab AT's Charlie Weir ATC and Brian Hudson ATC at the U.S. Women s Soccer National Team game at Busch Stadium. They played New Zealand’s Women’s National Team, and came out victorious! 


We were placed directly behind the score table and referees. It was truly surreal to be arm’s length from the players we have watched on TV for years. We had the stretcher in hand and were ready to act in a professional manner if called on by the teams medical personnel. 


It was an amazing learning experience and we are very thankful that we were selected by our program at SLU to participate in that type of atmosphere!

April 11, 2015

Welcoming Community and Preceptor at Affton HS Creates a Rich Learning Experience for SLU AT Students


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Affton High School
By:  Eldon Reid (MAT Class of 2015) and Brandi Burgett (MAT Class of 2016)

This semester, we have the honor to work with Becky Stigen ATC, the athletic trainer at Affton High School.  Affton High School is a mid size high school with a widely diverse population. The staff at Affton, are supportive of the athletic training team and understanding of the role of an athletic trainer. This has made helping athletes easier. They have also made us feel like we have become part  of the Affton family. Together we have been able to learn a multitude of knowledge including mobilizations and how to deal with the many personalities encountered in a high school setting.  We have been able to rehab many different types of injuries including AC sprains, hamstring strains, ankle sprains, lower back pain, and hip strains.  The hands-­‐on experience at Affton has prepared both of us for our future practice in the field of athletic training.


This winter we have had the opportunity to work with the wrestling team, and both boys and girls basketball.  The spring teams are just now starting to practice. They are girl’s soccer, men’s volleyball, baseball, and track and field. We have had a nice break between the fast pace fall football season but know that it will pick up again soon when the games start for all the spring teams around April.


We feel truly blessed being at Affton High School. We have been given a wonderful opportunity to learn from Becky. She makes the high school setting fun and a great place to learn. We get to have a very hands on opportunity and learn something everyday. We are growing as athletic training students and are becoming more confident. 

We know that this experience has truly prepared us to be a great AT one day.

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.

April 10, 2015

SLU AT Students’ Time to "Shine On" At MBU


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Missouri Baptist University
By:  Josh Harris (MAT Class of 2015), Haylie Dehm, Jack Dunlap, Krystin Haas, Brady Moore and CJ Spink (MAT Class of 2016)

The most prominent phrase at Missouri Baptist University is “Shine On.” At MBU, the natural light of students is nurtured, allowing them to shine and stand out from the world. The following are reflections of our individual experiences, (since we are all assigned to a different sport and preceptor) and how we have been nurtured to Shine On.


I began the spring semester caring for men’s basketball with my preceptor Ashley Broughton ATC.  After an eventful basketball season I now have the opportunity to cover spring football. All of the athletic trainers who work at Missouri Baptist are knowledgeable and always looking to help us learn even if we are not working with their sport.  Being placed at Missouri Baptist has been an eye opening experience because I have learned that there is a big difference between the high school and college settings.  My time at MoBap has been nothing short of amazing. (Jack Dunlap)


For my second semester of clinical rotations, I have been with Mike Nolan ATC. I have been helping him cover men’s wrestling, women’s wrestling, and baseball. One thing that has become evident to me over the last 3 months is the vast variety of roles that an athletic trainer has in his or her workplace. There are many responsibilities that I had never even imagined I might someday be faced with such as scheduling athlete’s appointments with other medical providers and assisting athletes with insurance information in order to make sure they are utilizing care that is covered by their health insurance. I have become interested in the prevention of injury and how I can apply methods to help a variety of athletes. As always, I am very excited to see what the future holds for my profession and myself. (Brady Moore)



I am with the men's and women's lacrosse team with my preceptor, Jamie Herron ATC. I am very much enjoying my clinical rotation here so far. I am not only learning practical skills, but in general they have ways that they set up the training room that seem much more sensible and functional to me. These tips could be useful down the road if/when I need to set something up in a functional manner. My preceptor is very good at quizzing me on injuries and making me think to help me learn and use me knowledge in every day practice. I have also received a much better view of how colleges are run and how they work from the athletic training aspect. This clinical rotation has been a wonderful addition to my learning and experience in the field. (Krystin Haas)



I have been with Meredith Dill ATC and the men’s volleyball team this season. Meredith is the Head Athletic Trainer at MBU. Because of this, I have learned more about the administrative side of the profession. The most interesting thing that has come up so far, has been interactions with other administrators, in which the ATs try to make them understand the legal regulations ATS have to abide by, via Missouri licensure. Mere’s teaching style with me has been of the “trial by fire” variety. I have always had great success learning from this style and I appreciate that she understands that. There have been some occasions in which Meredith has been engaged in administrative duties, but I have been able to work with and learn from the other ATs until Meredith’s return. This experience has been significantly different from my high school experience in the fall and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, but I have, and am so thankful for it! (Haylie Dehm)


I am with Emily Lawrence ATC and the softball team. Being at MoBap has allowed me to interact with college level athletes as compared to last semester at the high school. There are many differences in maturity level, skill level, overall athletic ability, and understanding of an athletic trainer's duty with athletes at the college level. College level athletes do tend to challenge you more than the high school athletes simply due to the age similarities, but once you establish that you have the ability to help them with their sport or injury, they are more cooperative and open to working with you. (CJ Spink)



A typical day this spring at MBU has involved: preparing water coolers and ice for practice or a game, performing a variety of different treatments for lacrosse athletes before and after practice, attending practices and games, and learning something new about athletic training from my preceptor. I believe that my athletic training skills have come a long way since the beginning of this clinical rotation at Missouri Baptist University and I owe plenty of thanks to my preceptor, Jamie Herron ATC, and all of the athletic training staff at this institution. The MBU AT staff works hard to make this a quality experience for all of the SLU AT students they come into contact with and that workmanship definitely shows what kind of commitment the MBU AT staff has for the athletic training profession. Now I look forward to stepping into the MBU AT staff’s shoes and obtaining the ATC credential for myself. (Josh Harris)


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.

Fontbonne University preceptors provide enjoyable experience for SLU AT Student



SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Fontbonne University
By: Erika Cook (MAT Class of 2016)

Exciting times here at Fontbonne University! Men’s and Women’s basketball have just finished up their seasons, and Baseball, Softball, Men’s Lacrosse, and Men’s Volleyball are just beginning to heat up. At my site I have four AT’s: Andrea Lindquist ATC, Ann Schmerbauch ATC, Brooklyn Dunihoo ATC, and Jaci Clauson ATC. All four of them are awesome and love what they do. It’s easy to love work at Fontbonne because the athletes are amazing people!


Thankfully, there haven’t been any serious injuries since I started my rotation in January. However, there is still a lot to do. I have had tons of practice with modalities and learned quite a few tape jobs that are new to me. The most exciting thing right now is that I’m helping a male tennis player rehab his back. He injured his back when he was in high school, and right now we’re focusing on increasing his back strength.

I can honestly say I love my experience at Fontbonne. My preceptors are extremely helpful, and the athletes are easy to work with!

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.