Balancing a career in sports medicine with the unpredictable life of college athletics has become second nature for Athletic Trainer Lyndi Rees. Married to a college coach, she always understood that moving would likely be part of their journey—but with a young child now in the picture, every decision carries more weight.
“(I kind of knew) if I go down the road of being with a coach, I know the chances of me having to move are pretty high,” Rees said. “If something came up and it was a really good opportunity, we wouldn’t not look into it.”
“Seeing them go from ‘I’m on crutches’ to being able to play in their game. That’s really rewarding,” she said.
Throughout her career, Rees has followed opportunities across multiple states, often coordinating moves alongside her husband’s coaching career. When the right situation presented itself at Ellsworth, everything aligned.
“Everything fell into place so it was like, ‘okay, we’re going.’ The moving part doesn’t bother me,” she said.
Today, Rees embraces the daily challenges of Athletic Training—from solving complex injury puzzles to managing busy seasons that can include treating nearly 60 athletes in a single day. Still, the hardest moments remain delivering difficult news to injured athletes.
“They need you there in that moment, but it’s just heartbreaking,” she said.
Despite the demands and sacrifices, Rees remains passionate about her work and confident in her future.
“If we were to move somewhere, I would be able to find something pretty easily,” she said.
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