An Athletic Trainer’s Perspective in the NFL
What does “The Standard” mean? In Football Terms: In Athletic Training Terms: • The Standard = Winning Football • Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) are held to a standard of providing high quality • Injuries are no excuse healthcare to the physically active • Play above the line • ATEP’s must be approved by the • Play winning football Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) • “We're here to win, we're here to be • ATC’s must pass the Board of professionals. We're here to be champions.” ~Steelers Wide Receiver Certification (BOC) Exam • BOC, Inc. conducts the role delineation study to determine the standards of the profession and the minimal competencies needed to practice as an ATC
Preview • Introduction • My Journey • How To Meet The Standard • Tolerance • Mental Toughness • Physical Fitness • Professionalism • Closing Remarks
Notable Sports Medicine Leaders Ronnie Barnes, ATC • Current Head Athletic Trainer of the New York Giants • First African American ATC in the NFL (1980-Present)
Notable Sports Medicine Leaders Leigh Ann Curl, MD Robin West, MD • Current Team Orthopedic • Assistant Team Orthopedic Surgeon for Baltimore Physician for Pittsburgh Ravens Steelers • First Female Team • 2 nd Female Orthopedic Orthopedic Surgeon in NFL Surgeon in NFL (2002-Present) (1998-Present)
Notable Sports Medicine Leaders Ariko Iso, ATC • Current Head Athletic Trainer at Oregon State University • First Female ATC in the NFL (2002- 2011)
Notable Sports Medicine Leaders Sue Falsone, PT, ATC • Former Head Athletic Trainer of the Los Angeles Dodgers • First Female HAT in Professional Sports (2011-Present)
Who Am I? Sonia Gysland, MA, ATC • Assistant Athletic Trainer for Pittsburgh Steelers • 2 nd Full Time Female Athletic Trainer in the NFL (2011- Present)
My Journey • Hometown: Minneapolis, MN • B.S. in Kinesiology-Athletic Training University of Wisconsin – Madison • M.A. in Athletic Training University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • NFL Summer Internship – Pittsburgh Steelers • Intern Athletic Trainer – Ohio State University • Assistant Athletic Trainer – Duke Football
Undergrad Experience • UW ATEP Program • Dr. Andy Winterstein • Preceptors ( ACI’s ) • Michael Moll, ATC • Jan Helwig, ATC • Henry Perez-Guerra, ATC • John McKinley, ATC • Kristi Walker, ATC
Grad School Experience Graduate Athletic Training Program • Graduate Assistantship • UNC Football and Men’s and Women’s Tennis • Teaching Assistantship • Research Assistantship • PT Clinic • Intramural/Club Sport Coverage • Masters Thesis • Comprehensive Exams • Steelers Summer Internship
Intern Experience • Intern Athletic Trainer • Men’s Gymnastics • Multi-Sport Event Coverage • Concussion Research • Intern Handbook
Duke Football • Assistant Athletic Trainer • 2 Athletic Trainers • 3 PT- ATC’s Assisted • Responsible for Work Study Program
Steelers Experience • 3 Full-Time Athletic Trainers • 1 Physical Therapy Fellow • 1 Year-Long Intern • 2 Season Student Interns • 3 Summer Interns
Day in the Life • Treatments • Org/Admin/Field Set-Up • Taping/Treatments • Practice Coverage • Post Practice Treatments • Organization/Administration
Weekly Schedule Monday: Injury Check/Team Meeting Tuesday: Rehab Day/Players’ Day Off Wednesday – Friday: Practice Saturday: Walk Through Sunday: Game Day
Year Round Schedule Preseason (July-Sept) Offseason (Feb-July) • Training Camp • Postseason Surgeries/Rehab • 4 Preseason Games • Free Agent Physicals Regular Season (Sept-Jan) • NFL Combine • 16 Games • NFL Draft • 1 Bye Week • Offseason Conditioning Postseason (Jan-Feb) • Team Physicals • Up to 4 Games • Rookie Mini Camp • Organized Team Activities • Team Mini Camp • Training Camp Preparation
How To Meet The Standard Tolerance Mental Toughness Physical Fitness Work Ethic Professionalism
Tolerance Webster Definition: • “The acceptance of the differing views of other people and fairness toward the people who hold these different views” • “The capacity to endure pain or hardship ”
Tolerance Focus on the Pillars of Excellence Affability Availability Ability Adaptability Accountability
Tolerance Affability Characterized by ease and friendliness, i.e. gracious Be communicative, approachable, and easily engaged Be emotionally consistent, especially in times of stress
Tolerance Availability Present or ready for use, accessible Answer phone calls, emails, texts in a timely fashion Let co-workers know best way to reach you Arrange coverage when you are unavailable Schedule your time off so that it is mutually beneficial to you and your colleagues
Tolerance Ability Competence in doing, i.e. skill Maintain and maximize clinical knowledge, proficiency, and expertise Be forthcoming when trying a new or unproven technique on an athlete
Tolerance Adaptability Capable of being made to fit by modification Accept the changes as the regulations of providing high value healthcare continue to evolve
Tolerance Accountability Subject to explaining one’s conduct, i.e. answerable Trust is reciprocal and achieved by universal agreement to generally accepted standards of behavior and conduct
Mental Toughness “Having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, resilient and in control under pressure” “It is the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance; sweeps away all obstacles” “Describes a collection of attributes that allow a person to persevere through difficult circumstances and emerge without losing confidence” “The ability to consistently perform towards the upper range of your talent and skill regardless of competitive circumstances” “The psychological attribute that separates greatness from mediocrity” “Ability to persevere in pursuit of a goal, no matter how long it takes or how much pain is involved, regardless of obstacles”
Mental Toughness Sport Specific? Traditional basis in sports Applicable to all areas of life Helps to: • Excel during high stress and pressure situations • Bounce back quickly after setbacks • Produce results even when likelihood for success is low • Be unshakable through most any circumstance
Mental Toughness Key Psychological Components Confidence Focus Motivation Courage Composure Resiliency
Mental Toughness Confidence • Having an unshakable belief in yourself and your ability to achieve goals Focus • Able to concentrate on the task at hand in the face of distractions (external or internal) and in high pressure situations
Mental Toughness Motivation • Having an insatiable desire and internalized motivation to succeed Courage • Having fear but acting as if you don’t • Accept that anxiety is inevitable and know you can cope with it
Mental Toughness Resiliency • Bounce back from performance setbacks with increased determination to succeed • Short-term memory Composure • Regain control following unexpected events or distractions • Thriving off the pressure of competition • Not allowing frustration to undermine your confidence or focus
Mental Toughness Nature vs. Nurture? Debate whether mental toughness is a developed characteristic vs. genetic Two studies suggest foundational processes occur during development • Allows a person to build mental toughness throughout life
Mental Toughness 4 Major Influences 1) Early Life Experiences • Links between exposure to stressors in early life and reduced fear or emotionality when exposed to threats in adulthood 2) Passive Toughening • Intermittent exposure to stress makes people less sensitive and more tolerant to stress 3) Active Toughening • Physical fitness gained through aerobic conditioning is thought to be important means of self-toughening 4) Ageing • Opposite effect; tends to make people more sensitive and less tolerant of stress
Physical Fitness What Is It? General Fitness State of health and well-being Specific Fitness Task-oriented definition based on ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations
Physical Fitness Physically demanding jobs Long work hours consisting of standing, walking, examining patients, carrying equipment Need physical fitness to maintain and advance in our careers
Physical Fitness Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2004) Workers who engage in moderate exercise have better work-quality and job performance Physically fit employees get along better with co-workers and take fewer sick days Subjects with high levels of CV fitness perform more work, using less effort
Work Ethic Work Ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence • Belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character • May include being reliable, having initiative, or pursuing new skills • Reliable, diligent and professional
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