Patrick Fergus
@Fergus5Fergus
The presentation room in Judd Gymnasia was packed on Tuesday, March 21 with current and former athletic training students as a part of the ongoing Charles J. Redmond Alumni Lecture Series.
The panel, which consisted of alumni from the past two decades, shared their career journeys, and later opened the floor to a Q&A from the audience. This year’s lecture, which included Katie Delude ’11, Kristin Farrell ’06, LaToya Franklin ’07 and Amanda Kelley ’10, coincided with the 50th anniversary of Title IX and served to spotlight the alums who have broken barriers.
Since the passing of Title IX, women have become the leading faction in athletic training, with about 52% of all athletic trainers being female.
One of the essential ingredients of being an athletic trainer is the relationships they can build with their athletes, coaches and co-workers.
“Communication is huge for building respect… it’s the tried-and-true way for me to build valuable relationships,” said Amanda Kelley, the associate head athletic trainer at the College of the Holy Cross.
Kelley, who has worked at Holy Cross since 2012, advised students in attendance to find what they love about the profession.
“There will be days where you ask yourself why you do what you do, but a simple thank you from a coach or player, or the difference you make in a player’s physical or mental recovery will remind you of the impact you can have,” Kelley said.
Mental health has become a newer aspect of the job, with players getting more comfortable sharing their struggles. Katie Delude has had some experience dealing with the mental well-being of athletes.
As the head athletic trainer at Northeastern University, Delude emphasized that while physical health is crucial for an athlete’s success, they can only perform when their mind is right.
“I’ve had to handle many panic and anxiety attacks, and the way to handle those situations isn’t found in a textbook because they’re so personal,” Delude said.
Delude also was quick to stress the importance of leadership, especially without being told.
“It’s about a sense of urgency and showing initiative,” Delude said. ”If I were in a leadership role, I’d feel much more comfortable giving you further responsibility if I knew I don’t have to ask you to refill the water or get more tape
Kristin Farrell and LaToya Franklin also detailed their experiences, with Franklin being the only panel member not to be currently working in sports. Franklin is an injury prevention specialist for Amazon in Charlotte, N.C.
She described it as a “boys club” when she first arrived, with many suggestions from women lacking acknowledgment.
“It was tough to get my voice heard when I first arrived there, but I was able to build my relationships and break down those barriers because I think they were afraid I was going to change how things were done,” Franklin said.
Working in injury prevention for a company like Amazon represents the wide variety of opportunities available for an athletic trainer and why the panel members repeatedly praised the profession’s variation throughout the night.
Kristin Farrell was one of the prominent voices of encouragement during the presentation, discussing her experience as an athletic trainer in the NBA for the last seven years.
As a member of the Memphis Grizzlies and now the Utah Jazz, Farrell was adamant about building relationships with players and coaches and how it makes it more enjoyable to go to work every day.
“We see them at their highest highs and their lowest lows, and our athletes sometimes spend more time with us than their coaches, teammates, and even their own families,” Farrell said. “You’re in the foxhole with them, so you become very close, and it’s important to be there with them.”
She also commented on the drastic drop off of women working as ATs after they turn 30.
“Personally, I see a lot of people in this field that use it as a way to become a personal trainer, for example, but I believe that those positions truly limit you,” Farrell said. “The next generation of ATs should know it’s the best choice.”
What was most notable was the absolute joy and excitement they showed as they shared their experiences and passion for the profession with current athletic training students.
When the panel was asked what they were most proud of, after a brief silence, Amanda Kelley picked up a mic and replied, “Tonight.”