An Athletic Trainers Perspective in the NFL What does The Standard - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

An Athletic Trainer’s Perspective in the NFL

In Football Terms: In Athletic Training Terms:

• Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) are held

to a standard of providing high quality healthcare to the physically active

• ATEP’s must be approved by the

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)

• ATC’s must pass the Board of

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

• The Standard = Winning Football
• Injuries are no excuse
• Play above the line
• Play winning football
• “We're here to win, we're here to be
• professionals. We're here to be

champions.” ~Steelers Wide Receiver

What does “The Standard” mean?

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
• f the New York Giants
• First African American ATC in

the NFL (1980-Present)

Robin West, MD

• Assistant Team Orthopedic

Physician for Pittsburgh Steelers

• 2nd Female Orthopedic

Surgeon in NFL (2002-Present)

Leigh Ann Curl, MD

• Current Team Orthopedic

Surgeon for Baltimore Ravens

• First Female Team

Orthopedic Surgeon in NFL

(1998-Present)

Notable Sports Medicine Leaders

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

• 2nd 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)

• Training Camp
• 4 Preseason Games

Regular Season (Sept-Jan)

• 16 Games
• 1 Bye Week

Postseason (Jan-Feb)

• Up to 4 Games

Offseason (Feb-July)

• Postseason Surgeries/Rehab
• Free Agent Physicals
• NFL Combine
• NFL Draft
• Offseason Conditioning
• Team Physicals
• 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
• r 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

• n 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

• ne’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

• bstacles”

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

Composure

• Regain control following unexpected

events or distractions

• Thriving off the pressure of

competition

• Not allowing frustration to

undermine your confidence or focus

Resiliency

• Bounce back from performance

setbacks with increased determination to succeed

• Short-term memory

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
• f 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,
• r pursuing new skills
• Reliable, diligent and professional

Work Ethic

The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching ~John Wooden

Professionalism

Professionalism

• “The conduct, aims, or qualities that

characterize or mark a profession or a professional person”

• “A high standard of professional

ethics, behavior and work activities while carrying out one’s profession”

Professionalism in Medicine

Altruism Accountability Competency Pursuit of Excellence Duty/Responsibility Honor and Integrity Respect Image

“Being good healers is not enough. Athletic trainers, like physicians, will be ‘judged both as healers and as professionals, and when they do not fulfill their obligations in either role, both they and the profession suffer.’”

Professionalism Altruism

Obligation to attend to the best interest of patients, rather than self-interest Advocate for patients Respects patient privacy and cultural values

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” ~ The Dalai Lama

Professionalism Accountability

Accountable to patients, to society on issues of public health, and to their profession Accepts personal responsibility for mistakes

Competent and reliable Don’t make excuses; focus on finding solutions

Professionalism Competency

Professionalism Pursuit of Excellence

Commitment to life-long learning Attends meetings; seeks additional knowledge and skills Self-aware of areas of improvement; seeks feedback

Professionalism Duty/Responsibility

Follow policies Detail-oriented Available and responsive Commitment to service within the profession and the community

Professionalism Honor and Integrity

Committed to being fair, truthful and straightforward Maintain confidentiality Adhere to ethical standards

• Do the right thing

Humility

• Ask for help when needed
• Willing to learn from others

Professionalism Respect

Respect for all athletes, coaches, medical staff, and students regardless of the situation Empathy; considers the emotions and needs of others Respectful of different socioeconomic backgrounds and cultural traditions

Professionalism Image

Perception is everything Reflection of your work Appropriate attire for the situation “Don’t dress for the job you currently have – dress for your next job”

Professionalism NATA Mission Statement

“The mission of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association is to enhance the quality of healthcare provided by certified athletic trainers and to advance the athletic training profession.”

Professionalism

NATA Code of Ethics

Purpose: To establish and maintain high standards and professionalism for the athletic training profession

Principle 1: Members shall respect the rights, welfare and dignity of all. Principle 2: Members shall comply with the laws and regulations governing the practice of athletic training. Principle 3: Members shall maintain and promote high standards in their provision of services. Principle 4: Members shall not engage in conduct that could be construed as a conflict

• f interest or that reflects negatively on the

profession.

Importance of Professionalism

“Athletic trainers must participate in shaping the profession’s future and understand the principles and

• bligations associated with

being a member of a profession.”

Professional Level

• Credibility as healthcare

professionals

• Future of the profession

Personal Level

• Role Model
• Reputation

Closing Remarks

Tolerance

• Understand the environment
• Put yourself in their shoes

Mental Toughness

• Have a short-term memory
• Bounce back after setbacks

Physical Fitness

• Take care of yourself to sustain endurance for your

job

Closing Remarks

Work Ethic

• Hard work pays off in the long run
• Recognize your weaknesses and work at

them

Professionalism

• Do your job to the best of your ability
• Set a good example; someone is always

watching

• Strive to be great

• “A Survey of Athletic Trainer Employers’ Hiring Criteria”

(Kahanov and Andrews 2011)

• Most Important Criteria: Personal Characteristics
• Followed by Educational Experience, Professional

Experience, and Work-Related Attributes

• “Desirable Qualities, Attributes, and Characteristics of

Successful Athletic Trainers – A National Study” (Henry et.

• al. 2009)
• 6 Essential Personal Attributes:
• Trustworthiness, Honesty, High Ethical Standard,

Dependable, Adaptable, Communication

Setting doesn’t matter…The Standard is The Standard.

Closing Remarks

"Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.