.svg)
By
The evolving landscape of Athletic Trainer availability in school sports has become a pressing issue. In a recent CT Insider article, the word "shortage" in context to Athletic Trainers continues to be thrown around by adminstrators and politicians.
While some attribute the shortage of AT to the necessity of obtaining master's degrees for state certification and licensing, others point fingers at opportunities outside of school settings.
However, one crucial factor that often goes unnoticed in the struggle to fill open positions is the issue of salary. Surprisingly, the article begins with an example showcasing how this vital aspect is being overlooked.
Stephen Straub, president of the Connecticut Athletic Trainers Association, highlights the crucial role Athletic Trainers play in sports, especially at the secondary school level.
"Athletic training is a unique combination of education and health care professions, and the challenge for secondary schools to hire Athletic Trainers has been significant, especially as some service providers have had to drop high school contracts due to difficulties in finding employees."
There's that pesky shortage concept. You can read the full article to see how often shortages are to blame, but is it really about the number (or lack thereof) of applicants for open AT positions?
In Connecticut, there is a socio-economic disparity between school districts, where wealthier suburbs manage to hire, and poorer urban areas suffer from a lack of access to qualified ATs.
Rather than address it head on, the state legislaters have proposed the creation of a task force to study and address the recruitment and retention of Athletic Trainers as a step toward mitigating their shortage.
While that proposal will take up time (and money), the issue most likely does not solely stem from a lack of qualified individuals but rather from the positions remaining unfilled due to uncompetitive salaries.
The discrepancy in compensation makes it challenging to attract and retain talented professionals in high schools, particularly when compared to opportunities in other health care sectors or even industries outside of health care that value the skills of Athletic Trainers.
They mention in the article that the military, law enforcement, and companies like Amazon "have been luring away certified athletic trainers." Luring them away with what? Well, that's not mentioned...
Testimonies, like that of Kevin Frederick, head football coach at Maloney High School, and Kevin Valentine, a parent whose son benefited from the quick action of a team trainer, underscore the vital importance of Athletic Trainers.
In written testimony, Frederick stated:
"To hear stories of other high schools in Connecticut who do not have any athletic trainers is frightening, to put it nicely. I’ll be honest that initially I was shocked because I just assumed that every school had an Athletic Trainer, because in my mind I thought it should be one of the top priorities when dealing with kids/sports."
Valentine, whose son Kyle, a starting quarterback, was removed from a playoff game in 2022 by Jessica Testani, the team AT, was grateful:
"She spotted Kyle at halftime acting different and quickly assessed him and determined he had a concussion. She made a gutsy and strong stance. Kyle’s health was more important. Without knowing Kyle as well as she did, she may have missed Kyle’s concussion, which he was trying to hide and/or dismiss it."
Their stories highlight the critical need for these professionals in ensuring the safety and health of student-athletes, making a compelling case for improving the attractiveness of these roles through better compensation and support.
Addressing the shortage of Athletic Trainers requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond creating a taskforce to study the situation — it necessitates a closer examination of the incentives and working conditions offered to these essential health care professionals.
Ensuring that Athletic Trainers are fairly compensated and valued is crucial in keeping them on the sidelines, where their expertise can continue to save lives and safeguard the health of young athletes.
Read the full story here!
