SLU AT Students Give Roosevelt HS Students a Day with the Billikens

Roosevelt High School Athletic Training Club

By: Cat Chua, Rory Cusack and Paul Lamb (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

On January 23rd, we took the Roosevelt High School (RHS) Athletic Training Club for a field trip to Saint Louis University (SLU). This club, sponsored by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program and funded through an Ethnic Diversity Enhancement Grant from the National Athletic Trainers' Association Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee is designed to nurture interest in athletic training and the health professions for students at RHS.  Kemba Noel-London MAT, ATC CES coordinates the RHS AT Club along with student mentors from the SLU AT Program.

First, we took the students on a tour of the SLU athletic training room. They learned about different modalities and treatments performed in the room. They also got to meet one of the basketball players. After the tour of the training room, the students went onto the basketball court to take some pictures before the game. Then we went to Grand Hall to eat dinner. We showed videos of injuries to the students and had conversations about what an athletic trainer does in those situations. Before going to the basketball game, the students got a tour of the Simon Rec Center. At the game, the high school students got to sit in the student section where they cheered along with the rest of the SLU students and fans, received cheer items from the people leading the student section, and even met the Billiken! The basketball game field trip was a great success and so much fun for all of us.

The students were able to experience the athletic training from from an athlete’s point of view and were able to ask many questions to both the Athletic Trainer and a few athletes. The students were extremely curious as to how an Division 1 athlete juggles basketball, course work, and social life. They asked how they athlete got their scholarship and how hard they worked in high school. The students then were asking us what our thoughts on how they can get to be like those D1 athletes, or the process of walking on to a team. The students from Roosevelt are all athletes themselves, and know what hard work it takes to stay on a team and be successful. As Athletic Training students, it gave us a chance to answer questions that we normally wouldn’t get in an athletic training facility, but from high school students that are genuinely interested in what it takes to be a healthcare professional or an athlete and what life is like in college. 

Moving forward in the semester, we plan on further exposing the students to the different roles and providers on a sports medicine health care team. Over the next few meetings, the students will have the opportunity to learn more about sports performance and how athletes prepare for a game through a discussion on eating like an athlete as well as preparing for a game through a presentation on training like an athlete. An additional field trip to the SLU Anatomy Lab will be an excellent chance for club members to understand topics we’ve discussed during club meetings in a more hands-on setting. Our goal at the beginning of the year was to get the high schoolers engaged in sports medicine, and present them with opportunities to see the many ways in which it can impact their lives and the lives of the people around them. Our field trip to the SLU basketball game helped advance that goal, and with so many exciting topics ahead of us, it’s hard not to be enthusiastic about what we’ll accomplish the rest of the year with the Roosevelt High School Athletic Training club!

SLU AT Students Receive Degrees at 2017 Graduation Ceremonies

The Saint Louis University Master of Athletic Training Class of 2017 graduates were recognized on Friday, May 19, 2017 in the Doisy College of Health Sciences Pre-Commencement Ceremony at Chaifetz Arena.

Congratulations to the 2017 Master of Athletic Training degree recipients:

Maxwell W.H. Alander
Brandi Michele Burgett
Bailey L. Draheim
Ali Nicole Graham
Sarah Marie Haenchen
Madeleine Irene Hauck
Morgan Jay Jasperson 
Brianna Christine LaBarbera
Katherine Elizabeth Love
Amelia Rae Meigs
Collin Edward Peterson
Olivia Rose Robinson
Stephanie Amber Ross
Daniel Richard Smith
Stephanie Anne Uhrich

Students from the SLU MAT Class of 2018 in the 3+2 MAT program also received Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science degrees.

Degrees were officially conferred at the SLU University Commencement on Saturday, May 20 2017 at Chaifetz Arena.

SLU Pre-professional AT Student Connects with the Profession at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships

New AT Student Blog Post - Emma Yonkers (SLU MAT Class of 2019)

The 2017 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships, held at Chaifetz Arena on the Saint Louis University campus, was a really cool site because I got to observe how athletes from all over the country treat injuries and take care of themselves overall. I watched a lot of warm ups and stretching, as well as stim treatments and ultrasounds. A lot of the gymnasts also wrapped their own ankles and wrists or the athletic trainer from their school helped them. I got to see all the different ways different ATs tape which was really interesting because I didn’t know there were that many different ways and wonder about the different benefits of each way.

This site was a little different from the other sites I have been to because this one had athletic trainers from all over the country. During some of the down time I got to talk with a lot of the athletic trainers from around St. Louis and learn about what they do at different places they work at like hospitals, high schools, and universities of varying sizes.

A lot of them didn’t even know each other so it was cool to see them interact and talk about the different situations they encounter in different settings. For example, one of the visiting athletic trainers who works at a high school hadn’t worked with a stim machine since grad school because the high school she works at doesn’t have one. She does things differently from one of the athletic trainers from a visiting university, who uses a very sophisticated machine as well as a GPS system that tracks the activities of soccer players they work with. Neither of these settings seemed better than the other, they just did things in very different ways and were interested to see what their peers at different places do.

This semester as a DO student I have learned a lot more than I thought I would. I’ve discovered the answers to questions I didn’t even know I had and been able to continuously build on them as I go. I am really glad we get to explore different places and get a feel for what we like by seeing all the different ways situations are handled.

This is one of a series of blog posts written by students entering the professional phase of the SLU AT Program as a part of MAT 3000 - AT Student Development II.

Saint Louis University Tips Off National AT Month at Chaifetz Arena

Saint Louis University's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletic Training Program joined forces to celebrate the start of National Athletic Training Month on March 1, 2017 in conjunction with a Billikens Men's Basketball victory vs the LaSalle Explorers at Chaifetz Arena.

Dr. Breitbach takes a pic with the SLU students who made this event a success.

There were many activities held that night to celebrate the event.  SLU's 13 Certified Athletic Trainers were recognized in a pregame announcement and presentation on the Chaifetz Arena video boards.

SLATS booth to promote the AT profession on the arena concourse.

The members of the SLU Athletic Training Society (SLATS) had an infomational booth on the arena concourse to promote #NATM2017.  They also had a Photo Booth to commemorate the event.

SLU President Dr. Fred Pestello joined in on the fun!

Additionally, the students in the Roosevelt High School Athletic Training Club also attended the event.  The RHS AT Club is sponsored for the 3rd straight year by the SLU AT Program through a grant from the National Athletic Trainers' Association Ethnic Diversity Advisory Council.  

RHS AT Club on the Chaifetz Arena court prior to the game.

The club utilizes SLU AT students to mentor and teach RHS students about AT and the health professions.

SLU staff member Petra Knight ATC takes time to talk to the RHS AT Club.

Thank you to all of the students, staff, faculty and administration that made this evening a great success!

AT Students Get Unique Experiences from the Special Events on the SLU Campus this Summer

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Nike Elite 100 Basketball Camp and USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials, St. Louis, MO

By: Danny Smith (MAT Class of 2017)

This summer, I have had the opportunity to work at a few athletic events outside of my summer field experience.  I have been fortunate enough to work alongside my classmates, professors, and other health professionals at the Nike Elite 100 basketball camp and the USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials. Both of these events were held on the campus of Saint Louis University and the SLU Athletic Training Program played an integral role in providing health care at these events.

At the Nike Elite 100 camp, I was fortunate to get to work with many of my fellow classmates. Through this experience, we were able to put many of the skills we have learned in the classroom into actual practice.  It’s amazing to see how far we all have come in the past year.  Just last year we were learning about the body’s structures in gross anatomy, and now we are able to use our knowledge to provide treatment and care to injured athletes.

At the camp, we took player measurements such as weight, height, wingspan, and reach.  We also were available to tape players before each playing session.  When the players were on the court, we stood courtside in case an injury occurred and when one did, we used our injury assessment skills while under the supervision of our professors.  Getting to work alongside all of our professors was one of the best aspects of this experience.  Over the past four years we have been able to learn from their expertise, but through this camp we were allowed to see them use their skills in real life situations.  

I was lucky enough to spend a few days at the USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials at Chaifetz Arena. At this event, our program played a supportive role to the USA Olympic Medical Staff.  It was a joy to get to see the techniques used by the medical staff to help the hopeful Olympians to compete at their best.  This experience also gave me the opportunity to network with athletic trainers and physicians from across the country.  I was able to ask about how they became involved with the USA Gymnastics Team Medical Staff and the journey it took to get to such a position. Additionally, this opportunity gave me experience with a sport that I do not get to cover in my typical clinical rotations.

Through both the Nike Elite 100 camp and the USA Gymnastic Olympic Trials I have been able to assist elite level athletes.  I have gotten a glimpse of the athletic training services these athletes need in order to achieve success.  

It is experiences like these that help the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program stand out as one of the best in the country.       

SLU AT Students Get a Great Learning Experience Taking Care of the Billikens

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Billiken Athletics

By; David O'Loughlin and Haylie Dehm (SLU MAT Class of 2016)

In my few months with Saint Louis University Sports Medicine, I have gained a widespread variety of experience and knowledge.  I have enjoyed a great balance of privilege and responsibility working with Tamara Pastor, ATC and Jonathan Burch, ATC.  Both athletic trainers treat me as a knowledgeable professional, and they allow me to practice many skills under their direction.  In my time with them, I have been given comprehensive rehab assignments to work with athletes from start to finish and design programs for them.  I have been exposed to and practiced techniques such as Graston, ART, and muscle energy to correct malalignments.  Because of their investment in me in these areas, I have a great interest to study these fields further after graduation and earn degrees and certificates.  What has really been exceptional for me has been when my supervisor is on the road with their respective team, and I am responsible for their athletes that are still on campus.  This has given me a great taste of what being certified means, and it has emphasized the importance of communication amongst sports medicine team members.  

-Dave O’Loughlin

This year I am returning to SLU Sports Medicine in a new role. Prior to beginning the professional phase of the Athletic Training Program, I was able to get a work-study position working with in Sports Medicine. The transition from being a student worker to being a PY2 at SLU has been neat. I came in already having an established working relationship with most of the ATs, the team physicians, and many upperclassmen athletes. Having these previous relationships has made it easy for all the members of the sports medicine team to trust and respect me. I am working with the women’s soccer, swimming and diving, and softball teams this year under the supervision of SLU Alum Lizzy Kienstra, ATC. This season when the women’s soccer team has been out of town, I have been able to get experience with other SLU ATs Angie Wills ATC and Kara Cummins-Ludwig ATC along with other PRN ATs from the area, covering field hockey, softball, tennis, cross country, baseball, men’s soccer and men’s basketball. Each team has it’s own personality and vibe. As soccer season is winding down I am looking forward to a vastly different experience working swimming and diving. My knowledge of swimming and diving is minimal, at best, so I am ready and eager to learn. 

-Haylie Dehm

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.

SLU MAT Class of 2015 Celebrates Graduation at Doisy College Pre-Commencement Ceremony

The Saint Louis University Master of Athletic Training Class of 2015 graduates were recognized on Thursday, May 14, 2015 in the Doisy College of Health Sciences Pre-Commencement Ceremony at Chaifetz Arena.

The following students graduated with the Master of Athletic Training degree:

Aaron, Michael

Ahlstrom, Christian J.

Costabile, Emily A.

Doherty, Connor P.

Griffith, John "Mike"

Harris, Joshua M.

Kane, Shannon M.

Kelley, Kayla N.

Kim, Juhyung

Koops, Brittany

Lampe, Andria M.

Lycett, Victoria C.

Mendez, José M.

Miller, Chris

Mosello, Anthony M.

Plamp, Stuart W.

Rath, Will B.

Reid, Eldon R.

Stepansky, Hilary

Following the ceremony, the SLU MAT Class of 2015 joined with their families, friends; and SLU AT Program Faculty and Staff to celebrate at John McGurk's Restaurant in Soulard.  At the celebration, the following graduates were honored with program awards:

Academic Excellence (highest GPA in professional coursework):  Hilary Stepansky

Clinical Excellence:  Michael Aaron, Kayla Kelley and Hilary Stepansky

Professional Service:  Kayla Kelley

Community Service: Jose Mendez

SLU AT Students Host the Roosevelt AT Club On Campus for Learning and Basketball

The Roosevelt High School Athletic Training Club had their second meeting of the spring on the campus of Saint Louis University where they toured the facilities at Chaifetz Arena, learned about concussions, had dinner at Busch Student Center and attended the SLU Billikens Men's Basketball game vs St. Bonaventure.

SLU AT student Connor Doherty teaches about the Swim-Ex at Chaifetz Arena

The RHS AT Club is sponsored by the SLU AT Program and funded through an Ethnic Diversity Enhancement Grant from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee (EDAC).  In February, they began with a meeting at RHS and look to take trips to Rams Park and Busch Stadium later in the spring.

It is coordinated by Jose' Mendez (MAT Class of 2015), who is currently on a SLU Graduate Education Diversity Fellowship, and AT Program Director Anthony Breitbach PhD, ATC who applied for and received the NATA EDAC Grant.  

SLU AT student Jose' Mendez leads a group discussion on concussion.

It utilizes a student mentor model where each SLU AT student involved works closely with 3 RHS students in hands-on learning designed to help inform the high school students about AT and nurture student interest in AT and other health professions.

SLU AT student Cara Bowton work with RHS students on using the SCAT 3 concussion  assessment.

SLU AT student Demeisha Crawford demonstrates balance testing for concussion.

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics

Saint Louis University, Home of the Billikens!

By:  Janese Evans and Lizzy Kienstra (SLU MAT Class of 2013)    

Janese Evans and Lizzy Kienstra in the Chaifetz Arena hydrotherapy area.

There is never a dull moment working at Saint Louis University Athletics with such talented athletes. SLU Athletics has 16 sports and a sports medicine team that includes: 2 orthopedic team physicians, 2 primary care team physicians, 5 physical therapists, 4 certified athletic trainers, 2 PY2 students, and 2 strength and conditioning coaches. Working with such a diverse sports medicine staff, we are able to learn different perspectives on the most effective ways to treat our athletes.

Janese Evans performing a knee exam.

Working at a Division I University, we have gotten the opportunity to travel with different sports teams, observe surgeries, follow up with doctor appointments and physical therapy appointments, and have access to state of the art therapeutic modalities. SLU is definitely a clinical rotation that enhances your skill set for those interested in working in Division I setting. Working long hours, being flexible, extensive traveling, and building relationships is just a small aspect what our preceptors do on a daily basis!

Lizzy Kienstra guiding a Swim-Ex workout.

Each preceptor at SLU brings their own uniqueness to the sports medicine team culture. This allows PY1 and PY2 students to get varying perspectives on how to deal with musculoskeletal injuries. One of the advantages of a clinical rotation at SLU is that the sports medicine team already has previous knowledge about the reputation of our AT program and the type of work ethic and skill sets the program provides for its students. Therefore, we are able to come in and showcase our abilities and instill a level of trust with our preceptors and assist in the treatment of their athletes. We look forward to continue to grow as professionals as we transition to basketball, softball, and baseball. We are also excited to serve as mentors to the additional 4 PY1s that we also have rotations at SLU in the spring.  Go Bills!!!

Congrats to the Men’s Soccer team on becoming 2012 A-10 conference champions!

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.

AIMS Summer Workshop Participants Learn About Sports Medicine

The Adventures In Medicine & Science (AIMS) Program is an outreach program of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. For more than 20 years, AIMS has offered summer workshops for high-achieving students who have an interest in becoming medical professionals. These experiential programs feature observations of live surgery, extensive study of human anatomy, and exposure to multiple facets of careers in medicine. The workshops are an outstanding way to help young people determine their future plans for study in college and beyond.

Dr. Tim Howell and athletic training student Kemba Noel-London provided a hands on athletic training experience for the students at Chaifetz Arena on Tuesday/Thursday June 21st and 23rd.  The SLU Billikens Strength and Conditioning Staff also provided an instructional session at Chaifetz. 

Learning by Doing in the SLU ATEP

Classroom experiences are linked with experiential learning in many courses in the SLU ATEP.  In MAT 616 "Enhancing Athletic Performance", instructor Lori Khazen ATC, CSCS integrates her lectures with skill instruction.

The emphasis in MAT 616  this week for the students in lecture was to discuss the fitness component of power and its link to the sports of volleyball & basketball.  For both, they discussed the logistics/rules of the sports, technical skill and fitness necessities, and breakdowns of each position, including the special physical requirements and mechanics for each.  The students then went into the Chaifetz Arena Pavilion with SLU coaches to actually practice the skills they learned in the classroom.

 

SLU Men's Basketball Coach Alex Jensen and instructor Lori Khazen work with the class on their shooting technique.

 

Student Eric Sass takes a big swing at the volleyball net, from a feed by SLU Coach Andy Halaz.

Jonathan Burch, SLU Assistant Athletic Director/Athletic Trainer conducted demonstrations on the use of the Swim-Ex at Chaifetz Arena with students in MAT 550 "Rehabilitation in Athletic Training".  In these demonstrations, the students not only "got their feet wet"....they actually participated in aquatic exercise in the Swim-Ex.

Jonathan Burch explains the use of the Swim-Ex control to students Ann Schmerbauch and Emily Monahan.

SLU athletic training student Emily Monahan performs aquatic exercise guided by SLU athletic trainer Jonathan Burch.

Chaifetz Arena Profiled in the Post-Dispatch

Tonight is the first men's basketball game at Chaifetz Arena. The St. Louis Post Dispatch web-site did a feature on the arena, with a story and a narrated slide show. It really gives you a feel for the place. It will be exciting to finally have a large crowd in there....

Narrated slide show on Chaifetz Arena

STLToday.com story on Chaifetz Arena's impact on SLU

NATA in STL

Much is happening this week here in St. Louis....

The National Athletic Trainers Association is having its Annual Meeting this week. Our department chair, Dr. Mark Reinking is presenting on Thursday and I am serving as the moderator.

The meeting web-ste is: https://www.nata.org/annualmeeting/

The Academy for Sports Dentistry holds its meetings in conjunction with the NATA, I am speaking at that meeting on Thursday.

The meeting web-site is: https://www.sports-dentistry.org/images/Brochure.pdf

Pictured is Dr. Nativi, Dr. Cannon and Tony Breitbach after Tony's presentation.

We are also having a reception former SLU athletic trainers and students at Chaifetz Arena on Saturday June 21st sponsored by Swim-Ex.

Taking a dip in the Swim-Ex

We had a great professional development opportunity today!

When an institution buys a Swim-Ex hydrotherapy pool, part of the package is a training session by a practitioner in the field. David Brennan, from the Human Performance Lab at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave us a training session on the use of the Swim-Ex pool.

He commented that Chaifetz Arena has one of Swim-Ex's newest and most versatile pools and he showed us how to make the most of it. It will be utilized for rehabilitation, reconditioning and cardiovascular training and will help Billiken athletes spend the least amount of "downtime".

Not only will it help Jonathan Burch and his staff serve the SLU Athletic Department, it will also serve as a great teaching tool for our Athletic Training students.


David Brennan (standing on platform) leading the Swim-Ex training session. In the pool is SLU Athletic Trainer Theresa Hummel, watching is Dr. Mark Reinking, Angie Wills, Dr. Tricia Austin and Jonathan Burch.