What is a Certified Athletic Trainer?
An Athletic Trainer (ATC) is a board-certified medical professional, licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine with a Master’s degree. Athletic trainers possess a unique skill set enabling them to care for athletes from the moment of injury through a full return to play. Currently FCPS allocates one full-time, and one part-time, athletic trainer per secondary school.
What do your Woodson High School athletic trainers do for your athlete?
- We are on-site at all Woodson home athletic events and available on campus for all Woodson practices.
- We are the first medical provider on the scene when injuries occur on the field or court.
- We work under the direction and maintain relationship with a team physician(s).
- We plan and develop emergency action plans (EAPs) for all locations, teams and situations.
- We are the final authority to clear an athlete for play from all injuries or illness.
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Daily
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Routinely
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We apply protective or injury-preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, and braces.
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We oversee the compliance of Pre-Participation Exams (PPEs) for all athletes
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We recognize and evaluate injuries
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We plan and implement comprehensive programs to prevent injury and illness among athletes.
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We provide first aid and emergency care.
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We work with medical professionals and with coaches to oversee and clear an athlete to safely return to play after injury or illness.
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We develop and carry out rehabilitation programs for injured athletes.
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We deal with budgets, policy implementation, and other administrative tasks which directly impact athletes.
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We maintain written injury and illness reports.
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We facilitate programs that are compliant with federal and state regulations. For example, we are CPR instructors, and we are responsible to certify all FCPS coaches in CPR every year.
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What can you do to support your Woodson certified athletic trainers?
- Support our end-of-year VHSL Sports Physical Night! This is our only fundraiser, and this is how we earn money to supply our athletic training room with the medical equipment necessary to properly care for your athlete.
- Reach out to your FCPS school board representative. While the FCPS athletic training program has been one of the best in the nation, the program has not kept pace with the growth of the FCPS student population nor with the educational and professional changes to the process of becoming an athletic trainer. The current stipend-based structure of the part-time position has remained unchanged since 1989. Over the past several years, we have seen FCPS schools struggle to fill the part-time position leaving just one person to perform the entirety of the job. The burgeoning FCPS student population is making it increasingly challenging to provide the access and availability needed to reliably deliver our services to student-athletes. Transitioning to two full-time athletic trainers at every FCPS secondary school would allow all schools to consistently supply a premier quality of care to all student athletes. Ask your school board representative to make this a priority so we are properly resourced and can continue to keep your athlete safe.
Every year our medical care, game coverage and administrative responsibilities impact the lives of over 1,000 Woodson High School athletes! Thank you for sharing your athlete with us; we love what we do, and we are dedicated to ensuring your athlete is ready to safely compete!
To learn more about the profession of Athletic Trainer you can visit the National Athletic Trainers' Association website!
Go Cavs!
