SLU AT Student Grows Confidence and Clinical Skills over Summer with SLU Men's Basketball

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Billiken Athletics

By: Mason Cotterel (MAT Class of 2022)

I had an amazing experience during my time at Saint Louis University with Billiken Men’s Basketball. Not only getting to learn under a new preceptor but working with a different athlete population and in a different type of setting greatly impacted my development. Getting a lot more experience with modalities, hydration, nutrition, and taping gave me a lot more confidence in my own abilities as well as helped educate me on some of the differences in the treatment and care of athletes at the college level when compared to the high school level. 

Through experiences as well as conversations with my preceptor Jonathan Burch ATC; I learned how at the college level there is a different standard for not only the treatment and care of your athletes but for your professionalism as well. With college athletics you are there as early in the morning to as late in the evening. With you assigned team you are there throughout the day for whatever their schedule looks like and on the road with them for every away trip. Just as there is more of an investment from players, coaching staff, and the school in a team’s success, so too is there a greater investment in their health and it relies on the athletic trainers to help organize and coordinate this care for the athletes. 

I was inspired by my time at SLU, knowing that I hope to get into the world of college athletics with ambition and drive to not only work with sports that I love, but in a field and profession that I love as well. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have an immersive field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program. This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

SLU AT Student Finds "New Normal" Provides Opportunity to Build Relationships at Bishop DuBourg HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Bishop DuBourg High School

By: Mason Cotterel (MAT Class of 2022)

Coming back to Bishop DuBourg High School for my second semester was something I was very much looking forward to and very rewarding. Not only was I already accustomed to the school, my preceptor, and the athletic culture, but with public health guidelines being well established, we were able to get used to a “new normal”. This new normal allowed all spring sports to start on schedule and gave me a plethora of new and returning athletes to help. From a much larger load of evaluations, rehabs, return to play protocols, and functional progressions to help with I feel like I was finally able to put into practice things I have been learning in courses. All the amazing and fun things that made me fall in love with the Athletic Training profession I was finally able to start doing to some extent. 

One very memorable experience I will never forget is the relationship I developed with the Boys’ Volleyball team. My preceptor, SSM Health/Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Nathan Jarman MAT, ATC, was instrumental in making happen, as when we would cover boys’ volleyball, he allowed me the opportunity to be the first response if any player had concerns or might have an injury. Nate allowed for me to have more autonomy when it came to helping this team, allowing me to take a much more active role in all aspects surrounding their care. 

This very exciting, and sometimes challenging experience allowed for me to better understand what providing coverage for an athletic team looks like.  It got to a point in the season where if someone on the volleyball team had a problem and saw Nate, they would ask where I was as they trusted me and wanted me to help address their concerns. The patient-athletic training student relationships I formed with this team  is something I will never forget. 

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 AT Student Experiences a Person-Centered Approach to Health Care at Bishop DuBourg HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Bishop DuBourg High School

By: Mason Cotterel (MAT Class of 2022)

I have had the absolute pleasure of learning and developing my professional skills at my first clinical site, Bishop DuBourg High School. During my time at DuBourg, I have helped provide care to a variety of sports, such as Cross country, Girls volleyball, tennis, softball, and cheer. As well as Boys Soccer, and as we approach the winter months Boys Basketball too. Although different than most years, I have gained an amazing clinical experience thanks to my preceptor, Nathan Jarman, MAT, CES, ATC. 

Nate is an experienced Athletic Trainer who works for SSM Health Sports Medicine. He has established Athletic Training as a key component of the Athletics culture at DuBourg. All coaches and athletes know that the Athletic Training services he provides to them, has a person-centered approach that makes everyone know that they are in good hands. I have been amazed with the positive impact having a good relationship with athletes has had on their care. 

I could not have imagined having a better first clinical experience than the one at DuBourg. As a future Healthcare Professional, I am excited to take what I have, and will, learn at DuBourg to optimize my ability to provide the best possible care to future patients. 

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.