Why do I want to be a athletic trainer?

It can be a young athlete's dream to become a professional athletic trainer. The job brings about a sense of satisfaction for an athletic trainer, who knows that he is partly responsible for the well-being of athletes in his care.

An athletic trainer work with coaches and physicians to ensure that injured athletes receive the best treatment. Regardless of the flexibility of sports schedules, an athletic trainer supports his athletes by attending every game.

Strong Employment Outlook

The strong employment outlook for athletic trainers is a good reason for entering the career. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for trainers is expected to grow by 23 percent between 2020 and 2030, much faster than average predicted for all other occupations. One reason for the growth is that schools and youth leagues are becoming more aware of sports-related injuries and have a greater need for athletic trainers.

Another reason is that the growing population of baby boomers are injured more easily while taking part in sports. In addition, companies are hiring athletic trainers to show employees how to lift items and conduct other physical activities correctly to reduce injuries on the job.

Opportunities in Other Careers in Sports

Becoming an athletic trainer opens the door to a professional career. A four-year athletic training degree program includes courses in human anatomy, exercise physiology, rehabilitation, nutrition and sport psychology. Upon completion, students can sit for the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification examination.

Certification allows a trainer to specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses that afflict athletes. Or, a trainer can apply to a related health care program, such as physical therapy or medical school. The best athletic training programs have hi-tech equipment you can learn to expand your knowledge.

Opportunity to Help Others

Caring about the well-being of athletes is an excellent reason for becoming an athletic trainer. Athletic trainers advise and train athletes in how to avoid injuries and how to use proper equipment and protective devices.

In the event of an injury at a sporting event, an athletic trainer is generally the first to arrive on the scene, evaluating and assessing the injury for immediate care. Athletic trainers also work with physicians to treat and rehabilitate injuries so an athlete can get back in the game as quickly as possible.

Pursuing your Passion

A passion for sports is another reason an individual chooses a career as an athletic trainer, which combines the pleasure of having a professional job in sports and working closely with often admired athletes. Some athletic trainers work for rehabilitation centers and doctor's offices and have regular hours.

Others travel with sports teams. As someone who has usually grown up with sports, an athletic trainer brings his own personal experiences to the job, which is one of the reasons why athletic trainers report very high job satisfaction.

In the U.S. alone, the sports industry brings in close to $14 billion a year. Any time you walk by a television, chances are you will see a sporting event, program, or advertisement. It’s hard to imagine why any young kid would not want to be involved in one of the most influential industries in the world. Odds are against becoming a professional athlete; only two percent of college athletes make it to the professional level outside of baseball. However, every kid will more than likely grow up being involved in some type of sport. It is here that many kids learn about the role of an athletic trainer. I know it is where I got my foot in the door almost eight years ago while playing high school athletics.

Athletic trainers “are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.” (NATA, 2016) Athletic trainers are not personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, or gym teachers. Many people often have this misconception when they first hear the title Athletic Trainer.

In celebration of March, or as I like to call it, “National Athletic Trainer month,” I have compiled a list of reasons why I love my job. Please enjoy, and I hope that it provides enough insight to motivate you or someone you know to become a part of such a rewarding profession.

1) New challenges every day. Every day at work I can almost count on something new occurring. Even if it is another ankle sprain, the injured athlete may present in some new or interesting way that leaves me baffled. Each athlete/patient handles injury differently, which just goes to show the complexity and beauty of the human body.

2) I constantly learn. The evolution of medicine is constant. I may learn something from scientific based medicine or I may discover an anecdotal technique. Either way our profession continues to change and develop better medical professionals.

3) Amazing relationships. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the job is the relationships I develop with my athletes and patients. When an athlete gets injured, returns to sport, has success, and at the end of their season tells you how much they appreciate you and they will miss you, it gets quite emotional.

4) Appreciation. When I leave my job after a day of work I know I am appreciated. I have had words of appreciation from my athletes, coaches, parents, Athletic Directors, you name it. It is often these small exchanges of praise that continue to inspire me in all I do as an Athletic Trainer.

5) Making a difference. My goal is to constantly change an athletes/patients’ lives for the better. We are a part of a select group that has the opportunity to make a difference in an athlets’s life. I have been fortunate enough to have never had to save an athlete’s life, but I do know I have changed lives and possibly preserved their longevity.

Jake Webster, MS, ATC

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