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.