Bones poking through the skin, gushing blood, and limbs twisting in ways they shouldn't might scareaway the average person, but not the West trainers. These trainers provide an endless number of compression wraps on ankles and ice packs for students in their office.

For trainer Dan Gerhi, sports medicine has always been his calling.

“I worked for a few years, and then I went back to school to become an athletic trainer,” he said. “I had a professor talk to me about what athletic training was, and up until that point, I had no idea what it was because I went to a small high school where they didn't have athletic trainers.”

Unlike Gehri, Travis Hering found his love for the career while enjoying a Monday night football game.

“I was watching the Packers game, and I saw this guy go onto the field,” he said. “I thought it looked like a cool job to have.”

Athletic trainers not only offer a variety of treatments and rehabilitation techniques, but they also provide a way to seek help away from hospitals.

“In past years, without an athletic trainer, students were floundering in the medical system,” Gerhi said. “We are able to help them navigate not only the medical system but also get them back into practice with rehab much sooner than they would be if they were left on their own.”

Sophomore Rowan Tigert is a two-sport athlete and is entirely grateful for the help the trainers provide.

“You can always talk to them, and it feels more welcoming than going to a doctor,” she said. “When you go to the doctors, they just say all these crazy medical terms, but here, they make you feel included and it's more of a personal connection.”

A personal connection indeed, going past surface-level to the bones themselves. To put it mildly, these trainers have seen some stomach churning injuries.

“We have had two open tib fib fractures where they have broken the bone in their lower leg,” Gerhi said. “The bone came through the skin.”

What might seem like a life-ruining moment for the student is just another day at work for the trainers. Trainer Tyler Van Sistine has seen the gross and gory side of injuries.

“Whenever there is a neck injury, you always get really nervous because it can be life-threatening,” he said. “I've seen a dislocated and broken wrist, and that was pretty interesting to look at.”

The trainers here provide a welcoming service and are dedicated to making sure every student succeeds no matter what.

“The biggest thing I take away is how rewarding the job is,” Gerhi said. “You get to work with people who are hurt, and then with a certain amount of time they get to come back and participate in their sport.”

Some students will go to any measures to get back into their sport as soon as humanly possible, which comes as a shock to the trainers.

“Sports are important to kids,” Van Sistine said. “I've seen sports be a big deal to people not in a sport, but when you are on a team it makes a difference.”

Being part of a sport can be crucial to a student's physical and mental health, which makes sitting on the bench even more bitter. Junior Jeevan Ambati suffered greatly from an injury this fall and was thankful that the trainers were able to provide help immediately.

“My knee injury happened during practice and someone got Tyler, and he was there right away,” he said. “I didn’t know what happened, so it's huge to have them readily available.”

Something interesting about the trainers is that they aren't employed for the school district, rather they work for Ascension and are assigned here. This contributes to faster recoveries.

“My orthopedic surgeon asked me if I wanted to schedule rehab, and I told him everything that I was doing with the trainers,” Ambati said. “He said that was exactly what he wanted me to do, so I could just keep doing that. I didn’t have to go through the whole process of getting a physical therapist.”

The supportive environment and quick recoveries are just a few of the many things the trainers offer. The trainers extend their knowledge to students, offering facilities and programs that can help students prosper. Gerhi goes through five slides every Thursday with every strength and conditioning class explaining how different muscles function.

“I think Dan does a really good job with strength and conditioning classes,” Van Sistine said. “He's really improved his offseason workout program and has helped with injuries.”

A lot of the student body doesn't know all of the benefits the trainers have to offer. Most see them as a place to go for a band-aid, but in reality, they are willing to help with any need.

“Hey, we’re around if you need us!” Van Sistine said.

By Sophie Carlin and Makenna Freund

Oshkosh West Index Volume 119 Issue III

November 28 2022

Trainers offer wide variety of services for students in physical need