March 30, 2021

SLU AT Students Collaborate Together with Preceptor for an Outstanding Clinical Experience at Webster Groves HS


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Webster Groves High School
By: Iris Herrera (MAT Class of 2021) and Michael Ryan (MAT Class of 2022)

Our clinical experience at Webster Groves High School has been an extremely valuable and unique one. We have been constantly adapting to school and sports in a pandemic. In some ways, the athletic training room has changed. We have set limits on how many athletes can be in the athletic training room at once, we have put down “X’s” six feet apart, and we have new COVID protocols we have to closely follow. 

Although things may be different, we are fortunate to have an environment where we can get hands-on experience. We have been evaluating, managing, and rehabilitating a variety of injuries daily. We have gained some experience with identifying and managing dermatological conditions. In addition, we have taken some time to go through pre-participation examinations and have learned about conditions like Aquagenic urticaria (allergic reaction to water). 
Throughout the semester we have become more and more confident with our skills. Our preceptor Sean Wright, ATC has created an environment where we have thrived as athletic training students. He provides constructive feedback along with prompting questions and useful things to try and consider. He is an incredible advocate for the Athletic Training profession through his work as a preceptor for the Saint Louis University Athletic Training program. We are incredibly lucky to have him as our preceptor at Webster Groves.

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.

March 29, 2021

SLU AT Student Adapts Through Unique Winter and Spring Seasons at DeSmet Jesuit HS


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - DeSmet Jesuit High School
By: Joey Wenzl (MAT Class of 2021) 

This semester has not been as full of surprises as last semester was when it comes to whether or not games will be played. All of the games that we had on the schedule were  played. There weren’t any major COVID scares for us either during the winter sports season.  The only issue we had was when one of our basketball players got exposed during a playoff game. He ended up testing positive and had to miss our next games, but the team was still able  to play and played well without him in. Spring sports are starting up now so we will wait and  see what happens with that, but since those are mainly outside, I don’t expect much of a  problem with any of them. The only issue I can see running into would be is that a couple of the athletes get lazy and don’t take the necessary precautions that they need to and end up exposing the team that way. 


Injury-wise everybody has been pretty healthy thus far. Recently, there has been an  influx with the beginning of spring sports and the people not being conditioned enough when  starting out, but nothing serious. These are easy to evaluate and form a diagnosis on which is  good for me. Everyone that I do is a confidence booster and makes me ready for another one.  These evaluations are the one thing I feel like I was still lacking in when the semester started out and not having any injuries during the winter sports, while good for the teams, did not help  me to progress at all. However, with all of these simple injuries, I feel like I am getting to a point where I am confident in myself and my abilities as I start to look for a job and do this for real.  


Since there wasn’t that much happening in the winter season, and spring sports just now getting underway, there was plenty of downtime while I was at my clinical. This time was not wasted though, instead it was used to study and ask questions since the BOC is fast approaching. I have used this time to sure up the things I didn’t quite understand that well. My preceptor from Mercy Sports Medicine SLU alum Dan Herrin MAT, ATC has been a huge help in this process in giving me the resources and knowledge to help me  succeed. When I have questions for him he gives me an answer that makes sense and doesn’t overexplain a concept to the point where I have no idea what he’s talking about, while still  explaining it enough to help me fully understand it. 

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.

March 28, 2021

SLU AT Student Appreciates Preceptor's Approach in Busy Clinical Site at Triad HS


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Triad High School
By: Joshua Hicks (MAT Class of 2021)

For the 2021 spring semester I was place at Triad High School under Jack Edgar ATC. It has been an experience like no other. There is always something to do. I never feel like I’m just waiting around to get hours. Jack told me that as a PY2 that he would treat me as if I were a certified AT so I could get the most realistic experience possible. This allows me to get much needed first-hand experience. 

Being so active at my clinical site has allowed me to take what I’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to my practice. This allows the knowledge to be retained much better. I have been able to brush the dust off of skills that I had not used in a while. Since being at Triad I have been able to improve my initial evaluations and review my special tests.  

Not only have I brushed up my practice, but I have learned many new things. Jack does not see one problem and isolate it. He tries to find the problem and eliminate the source. This means that I have been able to work on posture a lot. I have learned many techniques from  releasing muscles with the massage gun to instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization to work on the anatomy trains. 

Overall it has been a great and beneficial clinical experience.

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.

March 24, 2021

SLU AT Student Sees the Importance of Persistence Through Pandemic-Impacted Clinical Experience at Rockwood Summit HS



SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Rockwood Summit High School
By: Maddie Cavanaugh (MAT Class of 2022)

As the spring semester moves into full swing and spring sports pick up at high schools, the energy within the athletic training room is nothing short of exciting.  The athletes that are coming in for their sports haven’t been on the field with this group of people since the spring of 2019 and both athletes and coaches are thrilled.  For my spring 2021 clinical experience, I am placed at Rockwood Summit High School with Mercy Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Tony Mosello MAT, ATC, LAT.  This semester, I have felt so much more confident in my abilities as an athletic training student when working with the athletes.  Tony has provided such a welcoming environment that has allowed me to grow in my clinical skills over the past year.  I am eager to take these skills to my summer field experience. 

As students start to become annoyed with persistent COVID-19 protocols, now would be the worst time to ease up on things.  As the vaccines are becoming more readily available to the masses, everyone is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and wanting to relax protocols that have been in place for the past year.  The athletes that we are seeing now haven’t been able to play these sports for almost two years now, and the last thing I want to see for them is a season being put on hold or shut down.  In a time where we can finally see hope at some sort of normalcy, now is the time to work through the protocols and come out of the spring season with eyes on a more hopeful summer and fall of sports.

One major thing that I’ve learned while at Summit is that persistence is key.  As teams kept getting shut down due to COVID-19 protocols during the winter season, it felt like winter sports were never going to end.  Our athletes persisted and came back stronger after their brief shut downs.  Our coaching staff persisted and coached the athletes online to make sure they stayed conditioned.  I stayed persistent by continually practicing my clinical evaluation skills and ensuring I stayed on top of new materials and cases.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Summit and I can’t wait for the spring sports season to get into full swing.

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.

March 22, 2021

SLU AT Student Grows Through Preceptor's Trust and Support with Billiken Athletics


SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics
By: Gabrielle Herod (MAT Class of 2021)

This Spring semester I am still at Saint Louis University with Petra, Knight MS, ATC, CES. I am mainly with Women’s Basketball, where most of the time I am assisting them with practices, games, treatments, and continuing injury prevention. I see the difference on how more intense Division 1 sports are and still find the time to treat each athlete but at times it is rushed depending on the day. Covid-19 screening has given me a great new skill that I am sure we will be doing for at least the next year. 


I primarily assist with new injuries and design rehabilitation programs for different and pre-existing issues. All of our sports are in season right now so I am heavy on the treatments for the athletes which is great because it continues to give me great practice on different modalities. Petra has been the best preceptor I’ve had. She not only trust and gives me the freedom to go with my gut and treat how I deem fit, but she teaches me so much that will prepare me for this profession. 

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.