February 22, 2020

SLU AT Students Enjoy Immersive and Collaborative Clinical Learning Experience with the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - St. Louis BattleHawks 
By: Hannah Daily, Claire Ditman and Courtney Nall (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

The St. Louis BattleHawks is a professional football team in the XFL, a league that just got its start in 2020. The league consists of eight teams throughout the United States and St. Louis was lucky enough to be chosen to have a team. At the BattleHawks we help many different Certified Athletic Trainers, including Greg McMillen ATC and Chris Hauler ATC who both have NCAA Division I and professional football experience. We also collaborate interprofessionally alongside many others from strength and conditioning staff to the coaches and team doctors. All these positions play a vital role in the experience we are getting at the BattleHawks. We are gaining great knowledge of how to work with and among with these positions in a fast paced professional setting, while also developing the professionalism that is necessary at this level. Even if we do not choose to pursue the professional route after graduation, the skills and knowledge we have gained will greatly benefit us at all levels.


A typical day with the BattleHawks consists of a wide variety of things starting around 6:30am until the end of treatments late in the afternoon around 5:00pm. The players will go through their lift times early in the day with the strength and conditioning staff, then have a walk through and will also have practice that day. We get to help out with the treatments and rehabs that go on throughout the day, in between practice and team meetings. This has been a great experience because we have the opportunity to learn new techniques from six different certified athletic trainers, including SLU AT alum Jesse Schmitt MAT, ATC. While at practice, we all grab our water bottles and towels so we can split up to help cover either offense or defense. Our main focus is to make sure the players stay hydrated and to look out for anybody that may have gotten injured during the allotted practice time.

We are learning new things everyday that can be applied currently to our other clinical sites as well as our future athletic training professional practice. We are grateful that we are able to be a part of this process. All of the staff with the BattleHawks provides a fun and professional experience that has been really great to be a part of. We all work together to make each day run smoothly while supporting the new league in the best way possible.

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.

February 19, 2020

Annual SLU AT Program Speaker Series Recognizes Student Excellence and Features Entrepreneurship in Health Care


9th Annual SLU Athletic Training Speakers Series and Recognition Ceremony

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program hosted its 9th Annual Speaker Series and Recognition Ceremony on Monday, February 17, 2020 at 7:00 pm in the Education Union Auditorium on Medical Center (South) Campus.

The event was presented by the Saint Louis University chapter of Iota Tau Alpha - the Athletic Training Honor Society - and supported by the SLU Student Government Association. The evening began with the 2020 initiation ceremony for the SLU Alpha Iota Chapter of Iota Tau Alpha, the National Athletic Training Honor Society.


Alpha Iota Chapter - Iota Tau Alpha - 2020 Honorees

Graduate -
Hannah Daily and Justin Durham

Undergraduate - 
Emily Haley, Amra  Kardasevic, Olivia Mani, Eldwin Neritani, Alexander Smith, Lauren Swords and Katherine Wissing

The formal program began with SLU AT student Allison Stefan's remarks remembering Rick Larsen ATC, Washington University Health Athletic Trainer and SLU AT Program preceptor, who passed away earlier in the month.

SLU Director of Campus Ministry Sue Chawszczewski gave an invocation and Doisy College of Health Sciences Dean Mardell Wilson made introductory remarks and welcomed attendees.


The Brandi Burgett Memorial Award and Scholarship was awarded, with Brandi's parents Robert and Marnie Burgett making remarks and recognizing the scholarship honorees Alejandra Chavez, Abby Hoffman and Caitlyn Thomas. Bauman Scholarship award winners Allison Stefan and Caitlyn Thomas were also recognized. 


The keynote speaker for the event was Mark Kaufman PT, ATC, Founder and Executive Chairman of Athletico Physical Therapy. The title of his presentation was: “Better for Every Body, Business Success Built on a Strong Foundation as a Health Professional”


Following the keynote presentation, there was a panel discussion which included Mark Kaufman; along with KD Consulting Owner and Missouri Athletic Trainers' Association President Karen Fennell, MS, ATC; Khazen AthletiKare Owner Lori Khazen, MS, ATC; and SLU Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Mike Markee, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, ATC


It was once again an evening of informative discussion and special recognition of SLU AT students!

Photo gallery from the event: https://lnkd.in/eN2QNHj 

Link to video of the keynote and panel presentation: https://lnkd.in/eSQdaiT