SLU AT Student Enjoys Clinical Learning Experiences at DeSmet Jesuit High School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - De Smet Jesuit High School

By: Mason Remeis (MAT Class of 2023)

Since the start of the semester at De Smet Jesuit High School, I have witnessed a new atmosphere and approach to athletic training compared to the collegiate level I experienced last semester. The head athletic trainer, SLU alum Dan Herrin MAT, ATC from Mercy Sports Medicine, has formed relationships with the athletes, their families, and the coaches that creates an overall mutual respect between the different parties, and trust in his evaluation and care with the athletes. He has taught me that one of the most important characteristics to have as an athletic trainer is to be personable and make those close relationships with all people involved, so that you know you are trusted, and it will make communicating and decision making with the athletes and their families much easier. I have been able to learn more about what goes into the athletic trainer position just by simply talking with Dan and hearing about all his past experiences, and by questioning his reasoning for using different techniques why he does certain treatments for an athlete.

There have not been any major injuries that have happened yet this semester and most injuries that are present are mostly ones I have seen in previous clinical work. It has been pretty slow up to this point since the winter sports season is ending and the spring sports are just now starting up. Even though it has been slow, I have been able to get insight on a lower back injury and with it learn how to use cupping as a modality. I have also gotten to work with massaging as a treatment to reduce swelling and break up scar tissue. Now that I have gotten experience with more hands-on treatment and constant repetition of taping practices and modalities set-ups, I have seen growth in myself and a benefit from my experiences at De Smet.

What I find important from my experience though is seeing how different athletic trainers do the same treatments, since each AT tends to do them in their own ways. I continue to learn something new each time I go into clinical, even if there is a day where there are no new athletes coming in for treatment. I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to get experience observing and having guidance from a preceptor who has solidified himself as a trustworthy and well-respected individual in the school athletics program, and from this I have a better idea on what it is that I need to do in order to make sure that I am a successful trainer in the future.

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 Sees the Importance of Communication Skills in Clinical Practice at DeSmet Jesuit High School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - De Smet Jesuit High School

By: Eldwin Neritani (MAT Class of 2023)

During my clinical experience at De Smet Jesuit High School, I have definitely learned a lot from my preceptor Mercy Sports Medicine AT and SLU alum Dan Herrin MAT, ATC. The dynamics within the athletic training environment has been a new realm that I have never experienced before. One thing that I learned is how important and crucial communication is; whether that be between the athletic trainer and the athletes, or with the coaches, or with any other person. I have learned so much about the athletic trainer-athlete relationship, and how important it is to build that relationship. Having that proper communication between the athlete and I makes the entire process so much easier. With that communication also brings with it a general gaining of trust from the athletes. By being personable with and being able to interact with the athletes allows for a connection to form between us, which just makes the entire process much more enjoyable and streamlined for both parties.

And with those different people coming through the door, comes with different needs and expectations. There is no cookie-cutter one size fits all method that works for everyone. It helps to be creative and be able to think on the spot about a better treatment for an athlete. It could be something as simple as a small addition of an extra figure 8 or stirrup in my ankle tape for them to give them better support, or if an athlete has not been showing results in their rehab I observed as my preceptor Dan tries different techniques that might be of more help.

I have also learned that it is very much alright to not understand everything, something that I have definitely had to work on. Being able to understand my limits and what I know and don’t know how to do has definitely been eye opening for me. The thing that has helped me the most in situations like this is admitting when I don’t know something, but then paying attention to and asking Dan questions has been one of the biggest helps for me. Or even when I do something wrong, or if an athlete wants their ankle or wrist re-taped because they didn’t like how  I did it the first time. These are all moments that I have learned from and will continue to learn from through the experiences I have had.

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 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.

SLU AT Student Benefits from Autonomy Provided by Preceptor at DeSmet Jesuit HS

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - DeSmet Jesuit High School

By: Joey Wenzl (MAT Class of 2021)

This semester at De Smet high school has been unlike any of my previous clinical rotations. While there have been practices going on the entire semester, we were unsure exactly what they were practicing for, as games were not being allowed to happen in St. Louis County. This made the practices seem meaningless, but I enjoyed getting to practice my skills in a situation where I had to get them back to playing as soon as possible and could be a little more methodical in my evaluation and any potential rehabilitation. Although, with the no games scheduled, the coaches had practices that were less intense and as a result there weren’t many injuries for me to evaluate. 

Most of the beginning part of the days was spent taking temperatures as a safety precaution and as the semester progressed, there was an app that all students had to complete as well that we checked to make sure they were symptom free. Not exactly the most exciting thing to do, but since it was mandated by the county we decided that it would be best to do. We have progressed to just relying on the symptom check that the athletes do before school now to suffice for our own checks. 

Now that there are games, practices have picked up in intensity and there are more opportunities for me to continue my growth and improve on my skills. In addition to this, some of the players and coaches are starting to trust me more and are allowing me to do more than I had been doing. My preceptor, Mercy Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer and SLU alum Dan Herrin MAT, ATC provides supervision and helps me along if I get stuck, but the trust from the players is a confidence booster and having them come to me with their problems and allowing me the first look is something that has helped my growth tremendously. 

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.

Athlone Student Appreciates New Experiences at Saint Louis University and DeSmet Jesuit High School

International Clinical Exchange - Saint Louis University and Athlone Institute of Technology

By: Adam Whelehan (Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Student, Athlone Institute of Technology)

While being here in St. Louis my clinical placement site was in DeSmet Jesuit High School in Creve Coeur. My time was spent with one of the PY1s in the master’s program Mitch Buerck. Under our preceptor Dan Herrin ATC, from Mercy Sports Medicine, we got loads of hands on experience both on the field and in the clinical setting. During my time here, I got to experience a variety of different sports such as American football, soccer, basketball and wrestling, all of which have different demands. We got to see a wide range of injuries and also got an opportunity to work with a variety of athletes.

Before coming here and beginning clinicals there were certain fields in AT that I wanted to get more comfortable doing such as rehab, concussion protocols and different treatment techniques that aren’t widely available in Ireland. By being in a high school for the 16 weeks, I believe it was the best way to improve all of these skills as I actually was given the freedom to practice by my preceptor, Dan, who helped me every step of the way and never made me feel like there was such thing as a stupid question. Personally, I cannot say a bad word about my preceptor as he always gave me something to do and is an advocate for students getting hands on experience in every aspect of athletic training. I also learned invaluable rehab skills in class with SLU AT faculty member Mike Markee PT, ATC, who always made sure we were included in the class discussions and were up to date with what was going on.

At DeSmet, our football team won the district final but were sadly beaten by nationally ranked side CBC in the State quarterfinals. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the payers on the team and have no doubt that they will be back again next year striving to go a little bit further. Our soccer team perhaps had the biggest success reaching the state final this year and during my time here I was put in charge of looking after most of the players and as a result I built a good solid relationship with them. Before I finished my time in De Smet I got the opportunity to work with the basketball team and I have a strong feeling they could go all the way this year considering the talent that was on display during my first home game against Borgia.

One thing I will never forget is experiencing my first high school football game and the hype that comes with it. The same can be said for soccer, but I feel like getting the opportunity to see behind the scenes in STLFC was a bigger deal for myself as soccer is one of my favourite sports back home.

During our time here, we also got the opportunity to get a tour of the Cardinals home, Busch Stadium, where we got a tour from one of the athletic trainers and got to see how they work during the season both at home and on the road.

My time at DeSmet was definitely the highlight of this entire experience as I got to meet some great people there who made me feel like part of the ‘D-Block’ family. I definitely will keep in touch with my preceptor and Mitch when I return to Ireland and hope they come to Ireland some day or I return to St. Louis.

Also, during our time here, we got some placement with the women’s basketball in SLU on week 10 and although we didn’t really get any hands-on experience in the university it was nice to use it as a comparison to how our college in Ireland is ran and also versus how a high school is set up.

In conclusion I feel my time here was definitely beneficial especially getting great hands on experience in the high school and being able to learn from Dan and Mitch every day about the way Americans run their practices and deal with certain injuries. I really enjoyed the past few months meeting new people and definitely feel like I have made some long-lasting friends here in St. Louis. 

SLU AT Student Appreciates Busy Learning Environment at DeSmet Jesuit High School

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - DeSmet Jesuit High School

By: Mitchell Buerck (SLU MAT Class of 2020)

In my first year in the professional phase of the SLU Athletic Training Program, I have been assigned to DeSmet Jesuit High School. At DeSmet, Daniel Herrin, MAT, ATC is my preceptor and works for Mercy Sports Medicine. He is also a SLU alumni and has been at DeSmet for three years with previously working at Mizzou. I am also there with Adam Whelehan, a student from Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland for the semester. During this semester so far, we have looked after athletes from the football, soccer, cross country, and swimming and diving. As fall sports end, we will have basketball and wrestling as winter sports.

Being my first year of the professional phase, I am experiencing a lot of new things. My favorite part of this experience is being in the athletic training room after their school lets out, even with it being very hectic. This is where I can put my skills to use and learn new skills as well, such as taping, getting an athletes history, figuring out a plan of action, and much more.

With learning and having more experiences, my confidence in helping the athletes has gone up tremendously and will continue to grow. Overall, DeSmet Jesuit High School has given me a great experience and I’m excited to keep working hard and learning more while I am there.

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 Finds a Valuable Mentor in Preceptor at De Smet Jesuit HS/Mercy Sports Medicine

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - DeSmet Jesuit High School
By: Alex Hubbs (MAT Class of 2018)

Gaining clinical experience with Dan Herrin, ATC, MAT, LAT, at De Smet Jesuit High School under Mercy Sports Medicine has been pivotal in my final stages of transition to practice. A slower winter season has allowed me to focus on in-depth rehabilitation for multiple athletes, and continuing to improve evaluation skills. Multiple MSHSAA and club sports have provided a wide variety of athletes, as well as an array of orthopedic injury.

An alum of the SLU AT Program, Dan has been a valuable mentor in my final semester as a MAT student. His professionalism and compassion towards all athletes and the staff are admirable traits I hope to carry into my own practice soon. Dan’s guidance has been advantageous in my transition to practice, and he has helped improve the skills necessary to become an exceptional healthcare provider. De Smet’s community approach to academics and athletics has been a welcoming experience, and a tremendous environment to learn and grow in.

Experiencing healthcare under Mercy Sports Medicine has allowed me to observe a tremendous team-based approach to sports medicine, and has demonstrated a great model for providing excellent care towards all athletes we treat. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow clinically at De Smet Jesuit, and with Mercy.

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 Advances Clinical Skills with Preceptor/Alum at DeSmet Jesuit and Mercy Sports Medicine

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - DeSmet Jesuit High School

By: Alex Hubbs (SLU MAT Class of 2018)

Gaining clinical experience with De Smet Jesuit High School under Mercy Sports Medicine preceptor Dan Herrin MAT, ATC has been a terrific start to the final year in the MAT program. Focusing mostly on soccer and football, I have been able to continue to develop my skills in evaluating orthopedic injury, as well as rehabilitating the injured athlete. De Smet provides ample opportunity to work with a variety of athletes, and their community focus has been a welcoming experience. 

The ability to focus on mostly soccer and football have also helped to further advance my skills in emergency management. Dan has been a valuable asset in these situations, allowing me to learn both through observation and with hands-on experience. Dan’s professionalism and candor with his athletes is a trait I highly respect, and hope to carry in to my own practice. His guidance throughout the clinical experience has been advantageous towards developing the skills necessary to become an exceptional health care provider. 

Operating under a Mercy Sports Medicine preceptor again has allowed me to understand how the everyday operations within the sports medicine team help to provide the best care possible for all athletes.  I am thankful for the opportunity to grow clinically not only with Mercy, but also with De Smet High School. 

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 Students Spend a Summer in Columbia with the Mizzou Tigers

Summer Internship Blog Post - University of Missouri
By: Andria Lampe and Will Rath (MAT Class of 2015)

This summer we were fortunate enough to work at the University of Missouri under head athletic trainer Rex Sharp, ATC, assistant athletic trainer Casey Hairston, ATC, and the athletic training staff, including SLU graduate Dan Herrin, ATC.  We worked with a diverse group of Mizzou’s athletes, including the football, swim & dive, soccer, track & field, and softball teams. Every day brought on new challenges and opportunities to allow us to grow as future athletic trainers and gain valuable experience in the field.

SLU AT Students Will Rath (3rd from left) and Andria Lampe (second from right) on Faurot Field with 2014 SLU Alum Dan Herrin MAT, ATC (on right)

Our responsibilities ranged from filling water for 6:30 am football conditioning, helping with rehab treatments in the athletic training room, assisting with high school sports camps coverage and afternoon football practices, and being present in the athletic training room for all athletes throughout the day.  Of course, we always followed morning conditioning with a hearty breakfast with the rest of the staff every morning to prepare for the long days of rehab and treatment. On a typical day we would assist with twenty football rehab treatments consisting of strengthening exercises, a broad spectrum of modalities, and functional rehabilitation.  Swimmers, divers and runners trickled in and out throughout the day as well.  We were lucky enough to utilize advanced equipment such as a Swim-Ex, a Biodex and the DARI to get our athletes back on the field quicker.  We saw a variety of injuries throughout the summer that took advantage of the great technology Mizzou provides for their student-athlete population.

The time we have spent at Mizzou and the experience we have gained has helped shape and guide us towards the athletic trainers we are striving to be. The staff here has always been open to our questions and willing to help however they can.  We have been exposed to techniques and ideas that can only be learned through hands-on experience in the athletic training room. Rex Sharp and his staff have excelled as a result of years of practice. Having the opportunity to learn from one of the top programs in the country has been a once in a lifetime experience.

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

MAT Class of 2014 Graduates from Saint Louis University

The Saint Louis University Master of Athletic Training Class of 2014 celebrated graduation at the Doisy College of Health Sciences Precommencement on Thursday May 15, 2014. The following students graduated with an MAT degree in the ceremony, which will be formally conferred at the University Commencement ceremony on May 17, 2014.

Bongiorno, Angelo G.

Botting, Claire N.

Breseman, Abigail

Buschjost, Jessica M.

Costello, Catherine M.

Cybulski, Michelle A.

DeGreeff, Kelley M.

Gastorf, Nicholas M.

Grace, Emily

Herrin, Daniel J.

Hudspeth, Blake

Koch, Heather M.

Maturan, Jay L.

Peck, Linda (Kelly)

Rhatigan, Mary B.

Runde, John L.

Vander Vorste, Alex (AJ)

Wood, Tyler A.

Following precommencement, SLU AT Faculty and Staff celebrated the occasion with the MAT graduates and their families.  The following awards were presented at the reception:

• Academic Excellence (highest GPA in professional coursework):  Kelly Peck
• Professional Service:  Cat Costello and Emily Grace
• Clinical Excellence:  Angelo Bongiorno, Jessica Buschjost and Dan Herrin

Congrats to the Graduates!

SLU AT Students and Faculty Participate in NATA District V Meeting

District Meeting Provides a Memorable Experience!
By: Nick Gastorf (SLU MAT Class of 2014)

The Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program had six athletic training students along with faculty members Kitty Newsham PhD, ATC and Tony Breitbach PhD, ATC traveled to Des Moines, Iowa on March 27-29, 2014 to represent the program at the 35th Mid-America Athletic Trainer's Association (MAATA) Annual Meeting and Symposium.  Tyler Wood, Cat Costello, and I represented the Missouri Athletic Trainers' Association (MoATA) in the District Quiz Bowl competition after previously taking home the state title at the MoATA conference earlier in the year. We gave a valiant effort, but we fell short of our goal of reaching the finals of the Quiz Bowl, which is held at the National Athletic Trainers' Association Annual Meeting this upcoming summer in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Quiz Bowl Members: Nick Gastorf, Cat Costello, Kelly Peck (alternate) and Tyler Wood

While there, we were able to attend a number of lectures discussing various topics in athletic training, including talks on drug interactions and concussions.  One of the talks given that we were able to attend was on food and exercise-induced anaphylaxis by Dr. Newsham, one of the faculty members in attendance from SLU.  Not only did we have the opportunity to attend these lectures, but we also attended the MoATA meeting.  We were able to hear and get an update on the athletic training related events that are happening in state.  One topic of interest for many of the students was the young professional group.  With graduation approaching shortly, this young professional’s group is a great way to network and meet other professionals in the field who are also trying to start their careers.

Overall, the MAATA symposium was a great experience!  We were exposed to a number of items for the first time in this type of setting.  We were given the opportunity to meet professionals within athletic training, hear multiple talks on differing topics of athletic training, and represent SLU AT Program in the Quiz Bowl. We would not have had these wonderful opportunities without attending the symposium.

SLU AT students Cat Costello, Kelly Peck, Tyler Wood, Jess Buschjost, Nick Gastorf and Dan Herrin prepare for the drive to Des Moines.

SLU AT Students Host Workshop for SLU Medical Students

Athletic Training Skills Workshop for SLU Medical Students
By: Emily Grace, MAT Class of 2014

On March 19, 2014,  the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program hosted students from the School of Medicine to show them taping, spine boarding, and concussion testing. Such skills are specialties of certified athletic trainers and athletic training students but are often performed by participation of the entire sports medicine team.

Treating an athlete on or off the field requires interprofessional collaboration. Having an understanding and appreciation for other health care professionals roles is crucial to efficient and quality health care. During the athletic training skills workshop, second year medical students were able to learn specialty skill like preventative taping, sideline concussion testing, and spine boarding from graduate athletic training students.

PY2 AT students Emily Grace, Michelle Cybulski, and Dan Herrin demonstrate face mask removal
for an athlete with a suspected cervical spine injury.

As athletic trainers, we are often the first responders during emergency situations in athletic settings. It is important for the AT's to be confident in their skills and be able to effectively communicate. Because medicine and diagnostic techniques are constantly changing and improving, it is part of our responsibility to continually advance our knowledge by keeping up with current research and disseminate pertinent information to the sports medicine team. As information about certain conditions improves, our diagnostic tools also improve. An example is the SCAT3, a sideline test used in the diagnosis for concussions.

PY2 AT student Mary Rhatigan guides medical students on proper taping techniques.

Teaching medical students about the role physicians and athletic trainers play in prevention and emergency care made me proud of the skill set I have obtained through my educational and clinical experience. Gaining hands on experience throughout my clinical rotations has given me the confidence and competency I intend to carry throughout my professional care and share with other health care professionals. It was rewarding to share my skills with future physicians!

PY2 AT student Jessica Buschjost demonstrates balance testing, part of the SCAT 3 sideline concussion testing.

SLU AT students participating in the AT Skills Workshop included Michelle Cybulski, Kayla Kelley, Kathleen McGovern, Dan Herrin, Cat Costello, Emily Grace, Haylie Dehm, Jess Buschjost, Mary Rhatigan (coordinator), Christian Ahlstrom and Hilary Stepansky.

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Saint Louis University Athletics

It’s great to be a Billiken!
By: John Runde, Dan Herrin, and Kelley DeGreeff (MAT Class of 2014)

Saint Louis University is a great clinical opportunity for any athletic training student. Not many students have the opportunity to work with multiple NCAA Division 1 sports, while also being able to be involved with treating these high level athletes. There are three PY2's (second year professional students) that work under 5 athletic trainers.

Miya Sullivan ATC, Dan Herrin, Jonathan Burch ATC and Kelley DeGreeff

Dan Herrin is with Jonathan Burch ATC, SLU Head Athletic Trainer, and the Men's Basketball team. Practicing at their facilities in Chaifetz Arena, their season is just getting underway and they are looking forward to another successful season like that of 2012 with the care of the athletic training staff

John Runde is with Angie Wills ATC and Men’s Soccer; Baseball; and Men’s & Women’s Tennis. The soccer teams compete at Robert R. Hermann stadium, while the baseball plays next door at The Billiken Sports Center. These teams have had successful seasons that they look forward to building upon.

Kelley DeGreeff is with Miya Sullivan ATC and she had this to say about her experience at SLU:

“Working at SLU has been such an awesome experience. I have been working under Miya Sullivan with women's soccer, women's basketball, and swimming. Miya has been at SLU for 11 years, so she knows the ropes! I have learned so much from her and am grateful for the opportunity to work with such amazing people. I love the continuity of working with Division I sports. I see these athletes every day and really feel like they trust me -- I hope!! The soccer team had a rough season injury wise and we worked hard trying to keep the girls off the bench and in play. Now with basketball starting, it’s a whole new set of injuries to consider. I feel like I get to see it all from ACL tears to metacarpal fractures. Being able to put the skills I've learned over the past year into practice is such a rewarding experience. I am proud to work for SLU's outstanding athletic program.”

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 Makes a Run at the Fall Classic with the St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals Internship
By: Dan Herrin (SLU MAT Class of 2014)

I was fortunate enough to have recently had the opportunity to spend an extended internship period with the sports medicine staff of the St. Louis Cardinals. My primary preceptor was team head athletic trainer Greg Hauck, ATC, and I also interacted with assistant athletic trainer Chris Conroy ATC, head of rehabilitation programming Adam Olsen, PT, ATC, as well as the numerous members of the teams’ staff including physicians, chiropractors, paramedics and so on. To be completely honest, growing up a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals I was ecstatic once I found out I was accepted for the position, but I had little idea of the experience that lay ahead and the profound positive impact it would have on me.

SLU AT student Dan Herrin with Cardinals Head Athletic Trainer Greg Hauck ATC and SLU AT Program Director Tony Breitbach ATC

The staff provided the highest level of care for their athletes every single day I was there, and as we liked to say, we did it with attitude! There was never a moment that wasn’t upbeat and energetic, and in the realm of a long baseball season, that makes the athletic training room an enjoyable place to be. The staff opened their doors to me; always answering any question I had and always including me in any process they felt would help me grow as an athletic training student. I learned an extensive amount in regards to the overall approach to athlete care and the kinetic chain as one functioning unit. I learned the value of an effective team approach to health care, and the positive impact it can have on everyday processes.

Finally, everyone with the St. Louis Cardinals staff, whether that includes sports medicine, athletes, coaches, clubhouse workers etc., all exemplified the character required of a person who wishes to succeed at the highest level, no matter what your profession. Often used in the media, a phrase “The Cardinal Way” is thrown around a lot, which is a way of describing how the organization does things the right way. This goes beyond the baseball team I have come to find, and it has been an experience that I will never forget.

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

SLU AT Faculty and Students Team Up at the Nike Elite 100 Camp

Saint Louis University has been the home of the one of Nike's most exclusive basketball camps since 2000.  Originally called the Nike Hoop Jamboree, it is now called the Nike Elite 100 Camp.  It is called the Elite 100 camp because 100 of the top basketball players 15 years and under are invited to participate in it.  The 2012 NBA Draft featured 8 former participants from this camp in its top 10 picks.

SLU AT Students on the first day of camp - Back Row: Dan Herrin, Jessica Buschjost, Heather Koch and Emily Grace; Front Row: Angelo Bongiorno and Andrea Auclair.

SLU AT faculty and students have also been providing AT services for this camp since the program first brought in students in 2008.  It is a great opportunity for SLU AT students and faculty to work together at a fun event.

The breaks in camp provided great teaching opportunities as Dr. Tim Howell reviews anatomy with SLU AT students AJ VanderVorste, Andrea Auclair and Heather Koch.

SLU AT Clinical Site Spotlight - Lindenwood University-Belleville

Lindenwood University-Belleville, Home of the Lynx!

By: Nick Gastorf, Dan Herrin, Abby Breseman (SLU MAT Class of 2014) and Katie Herington (SLU MAT Class of 2013)

To say that Lindenwood University - Belleville has been busy this spring would be an understatement.  The Lynx are an NAIA University with many Varsity and Junior Varsity sports, all overseen by Head Athletic Trainer Bill Dill ATC.  For this past Spring, us SLU students were lucky enough to cover Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Men’s and Women’s Wrestling, Men’s Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Football (spring practices), and Softball.  In addition, we were also privileged enough to host the Men’s and Women’s National NAIA Lacrosse Tournaments.  Our men’s team was lucky enough to make the tournament as a #5 seed, however, lost a heartbreaker in overtime to DePaul as was eliminated this past weekend.

Our typical day at LU-B consisted of preparing for practices by setting up the practice fields and getting the athletes ready for practice by taping and utilizing multiple modalities to help prevent injuries. We then covered practices and games on a daily basis. Over our time, we were lucky enough to cover highly competitive teams, including, Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s and Women’s Wrestling, and Men’s and Women’s Basketball, all of whom qualified for their respected National Tournaments.

With so many sports going on, you can imagine the experience and knowledge we have gained throughout our time there. We would not have been able to gain such wonderful knowledge without the help and mentoring from the entire Athletic Training Staff.  Everyone at LU-B could not have been more helpful, including the Graduate Assistants of LJ, Craig, Amy, and Dani to the full time staff of Stephen, Curtis, and Bill.  Now our time is done here, we all feel honored to not only know all of these individuals in a professional sense, but also at the same, have developed a bond and friendship that will carry on over time.

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.