March is National Athletic Trainers Month and the area has several athletic trainers that dedicate countless hours to serving our local athletes. This is a story in a series highlighting their efforts.
Maelin Wheeler
Hometown: New Lothrop, Michigan
College/Education: Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training from Alma College in Alma, Michigan
High school/college/team you work with: Owensboro High School
How long have you been an athletic trainer?
I have been certified since September 2018.
How long have you been in the Owensboro area and why did you decide to come here?
I moved here in October of 2018 to work for Advanced Center for Orthopedics and Sports medicine and my outreach position at Owensboro High School.
Why did you pursue athletic training as a career?
My mother signed me up for an athletic training camp at Michigan State University where I discovered the field and have only gained more passion for the profession since then.
What do you enjoy most about being an athletic trainer?
I enjoy doing my part to help my athletes perform at their highest capacity, especially after an injury.
What is something most people don’t understand about your profession?
I think that people don’t understand the extent of what athletic trainers are trained to do. It’s not just ankle taping and stretching. We do wound care, we give nutrition advice, we rehabilitate injuries, emergency injury management, etc.
What is your advice for athletes when they are injured or have questions?
The best thing they can do is ask for help. Their athletic trainer can’t help them begin the recovery process unless they know there is a problem, and then we can work together to come up with a path forward to healing.
