SLU Athletic Training Students Return to Their High School for Clinical Experience

By: Olivia Hiscox & Kris Koenig ( MAT Class of 2025)

    Kris Koenig and Olivia Hiscox, PY1s, have been placed at Kirkwood High School this fall with Kelsey Cunningham, an ATC with Athletico. Our experiences at Kirkwood High School have been engaging, insightful, and entertaining. Having Clinicals at a high school has allowed us to understand the dynamics between trainers and high school athletes and recognize the chaotic nature of fall sports and scheduling. Kelsey has been very welcoming and allowed us to ease into the swing of things. As we developed more confidence and competence in the training room, she would give us more autonomy to do certain assessments and modalities which gave us a more realistic insight into what it is like to be an AT. 

    We feel most appreciative and proud of being an AT student when we are on the sidelines during games, celebrating with the team, and being there for athletes when they get injured. The feeling that you get when you are on the field and seeing the student-athlete that you have been helping competing and succeeding is unmatched. We could not be more grateful for our time together with Kelsey and Kirkwood High School athletes and all they have been able to teach us. We cannot wait to see what else Kelsey and KHS have in store for us for the rest of our first semester experiencing clinical hours. 

This is one of a series of posts authored by students enrolled in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program. The number of clinical sites, the quality and diversity of the clinical experience opportunities, and the contemporary expertise of our preceptors are strengths of the CAATE Accredited SLU AT Program.