by Darcey Rydl, news editor

“Even though [the coaches] don’t always tell us they appreciate what they do, we know they appreciate it,” senior Ashlee Hennings said.

Not only is the football players’ motivation important in a game, but so is their health and well-being. To ensure that their ability to perform is at its best, the trainers’ must also do their best.

“We set up waters for practice to make sure they don’t get dehydrated,” Hennings said. “We always carry racket bottles around, and before games we feed them.”

Anything the players might need the trainers are there to provide them with.

“If they’re bleeding, we put a Band-Aid on them,” junior Avrie Hodges said.

Trainers begin preparation the first week of August and attend every varsity, JV, and freshmen home and away games as well as practices.

“Practice usually ends around 6:30, but we have to put stuff up so [we don’t get home until] seven,” senior Alex Rosario said. “Games days depend on home or away. Home games [we arrive] around eleven, and away games are later.”

Although football is the trainers’ main sport, Rosario stresses that the trainers are there for all sports.

“In the spring we split up and everyone does [about] two sports,” Hennings said. “Every year we switch up. So if you do it all four year, then over the four years you will have done every sport.”

Doing more than one sport in the fall can also lead to a full schedule.

“Right now I’m doing football and volleyball,” Rosario said. “So I’m going to the volleyball game tonight and then going to the football game.”

Before becoming a trainer, there are some requirements beyond a CPR certification.

“They prefer for you to be taking or have taken sports medicine,” Rosario said. “You’ll learn about injuries and how to treat them and how to take people and a lot of stuff that we use on a

daily basis.”

The trainers also understand that people who are not involved in a sport will find it difficult to appreciate their job because they will be unaware of everything they do.

“I don’t really care what people outside the football team or whatever sport I’m in think as long as [the players] are thankful,” Rosario said. “The players recognize us [and what we do for them].”

The appreciation from the coaches, players and parents are enough to satisfy their dedication and hard work.

“Any time the football team is doing something athletic or are practicing, we are there,” Hodges said.