Rushing to the mat, DGS junior Ellery Johnson begins to tend to an injured wrestler. While most would turn away from blood on the mat, Johnson does everything she can to help fellow students and make sure they are healthy. These events are typical for any student athletic trainer here at DGS.

DGS students have the option to join the student aid athletic training program as early as freshman year. Johnson joined the athletic training program her sophomore year and has loved it ever since.

“I was hesitant to join at first, but it has all my interests in it, so I decided to give it a shot,” Johnson said.

Even though they are still in high school, students have the opportunity to learn anything they want when it comes to athletic training. DGS head athletic trainer Stephanie Smith reflects on what students can do.

“They can learn how to tape injuries, clean wounds…it’s pretty limitless as to what the kids want to do,” Johnson said.

Johnson also agrees with the fact that there is absolutely no limit to what students can do.

“‘The only thing we can’t do is diagnose injuries. We have a lot of freedom with what we can do,” Smith said.

The student athletic training program helps students prepare for the future in numerous ways, and not just learning how to tape a sprained ankle. While students can learn how to tape whatever they want, or help rehabilitate patients, Smith reveals that it helps in other ways besides just medicinal ways.

“I think time management is a big thing they will learn, along with social skills as they are interacting with us or the sports coaches,” Smith said.

When she’s not helping out in the athletic training room after school, Johnson makes her way over to Athletico where she recently got a job. At her job, she helps rehabilitate patients and bring them back to their former health.

“I got a real job because of the club–like an actual job,” Johnson said.
Johnson has realized that this is something she wants to fully pursue in the future because of her new job. She wants to make it her life.

“I always wanted to go into the medical field originally, but then realized that athletic training aligns with what I really want to do,” Johnson said.

The student aid athletic training runs all year round for every sport, meaning you can participate even if you are in a sport. If interested in signing up for the club, email Stephanie Smith ([email protected]) or Diana Jacobo ([email protected]).