March was 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.
Kelly Schweisthal
Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida
College/Education: Cumberland University/ Bachelors of Science – Athletic Training
High school/college/team you work with: Brescia University
How long have you been an athletic trainer?
Over three years.
How long have you been in the Owensboro area and why did you decide to come here?
My family and I moved to Owensboro before I started middle school. I graduated from Owensboro Catholic High School in 2011. Worked as an Athletic Trainer in Illinois for just under three years. I was happy to come back to Owensboro to pursue the opportunity with Owensboro Health and Brescia University.
Why did you pursue athletic training as a career?
I knew from a young age I wanted to be in the medical field in some capacity. I enjoyed participating in sports activities as I was growing up. As I learned more about Athletic Training in high school, I knew sports medicine was the perfect fit for me.
What do you enjoy most about being an athletic trainer?
I enjoy incorporating injury prevention programs in each sport where the goal is to facilitate optimal mobility within each athlete.
What is something most people don’t understand about your profession?
“AT’s are like icebergs. At any one time, you are only seeing about 1/10th of what they are actually doing.” This quote sums up the profession because often people don’t understand the role of an Athletic Trainer. People mostly see us at practice or event coverage and think that’s all we do. Besides attending to injuries we’re very active in injury prevention, performing administrative tasks, researching new products we can add to our athletic programs for our athletes. At the end of the day, our goal is always focused on improving our athletes, and providing them with the best care.
What is your advice for athletes when they are injured or have questions?
No question is too small when regarding injuries. I encourage athletes to ask questions during their recovery process whether it’s pertaining to their injured body part or asking questions throughout their rehab/treatment plan. There is always an opportunity to educate our athletes.
