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Our head athletic trainer, Nathan McFadden, AT, CSMS, shares his recommendations for athletic trainers to put on their holiday wish list:
Virtual reality headgear and a life-size teddy bear for the kids, a thoughtful momento for a spouse or significant other, a gag gift for dad and incidentally a candle warmer your grandma gifted you last year for, well, grandma. After you’ve gotten all your Christmas shopping for family and friends done, we turn to our co-workers to remind them we appreciate them as well. If an athletic trainer is in your professional circle, what should you get them? Well, here is their Christmas list to make it easy for you.
Wishlist Item #1: something up their alley
It’s always nice to feel like other people around you pick up on your hobbies and things you appreciate. You spend all year getting to know people you work with, hearing their stories of weekend trips, favorite restaurants and foods and more. Without breaking the bank, think of gifting them a small gift card to their favorite lunch spot. Who knows, maybe they’ll invite you along and you’ll get to try that insane brisket and bacon taco topped with bourbon barbeque sauce they won’t stop fantasizing about every time they go.
Wishlist Item #2: Cover a Shift For A Fellow AT
As we roll closer to Christmas, everyone has an extra thing to do, item to pick up and there’s never enough hours in the day to do so, even with retail extended hours. This just puts stress on top of the stress that is the holiday time; but holiday time shouldn’t feel like preparing for war. If you have extra time to donate, consider covering a shift when you know your athletic trainer would really appreciate it (if you happen to be an AT yourself). These small gestures can help keep them in the middle of the “stressed/everything-is-burning-down-around-me” scale. No one wants to experience the top end of that scale during such a joyous time…
Wishlist Item #3: A Break
For real. Everyone could be cut a break every once and again. Chances are, a few days before or even after Christmas your athletic trainer is busy starting treatments, taping ankles and getting ready for a basketball game or wrestling tournament. More than likely, they’d like to be spending some of this time with family or friends, but instead are serving their athletes selflessly. So if they pull a player from a game because they’re concerned for their safety and you don’t agree with the call (looking at you, players and coaches…) cut them some slack and understand they are making these decisions based off what they feel is best for the athlete first. Trust the process and maybe your star player will be back in the lineup the next match, after some rehab with the AT.
Wishlist Item #4: Healthy Roster
I may be biased, but if you really want to help make an AT’s life easier and give them a gift that keeps on giving, then you need to give them the only mobile and web EMR system that will decrease their workload and give them more time to relax.
Conclusion
Athletic trainers work extended hours, holiday hours and in all kinds of weather, all to keep our favorite players and stars healthy so spectators and community members alike can enjoy competitive sports. This is their gift to you. Common courtesy generally recommends getting a gift for someone who got one for you, so review the list above and return the gesture, it’s surely in your budget!
Merry Christmas!
