Muhlenberg College Athletic Trainers Care for More Than Just Injuries

At Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, five Athletic Trainers are doing much more than treating injuries and covering games. They're helping student-athletes navigate the physical and emotional challenges of college athletics.

In a recent article by Charlotte Lucarelli for The Muhlenberg Weekly, Head Athletic Trainer Lindsay Porembo and Assistant Athletic Trainers Sean Morse, Jamie Scalise, Shannon Gross, and Logan Berner shared what goes into caring for Muhlenberg's athletes.

Each Athletic Trainer works with specific teams, but the entire staff collaborates to provide care across the college's athletic programs.

“There is a lot of planning, communication, education, injury prevention, rehabilitation and coordination with coaches, physicians, families and other healthcare professionals,” Porembo explained.

And no two days look quite the same.

Between injury evaluations, rehabilitation, treatments, documentation, and practice and game coverage, Athletic Trainers manage demanding and often unpredictable schedules.

Porembo acknowledged that those schedules can make balancing work and personal life difficult. Morse added that overlapping sports seasons can stretch the staff's ability to spend as much time with each athlete as they'd like.

But despite those challenges, the relationships they develop make the work rewarding.

“My favorite part is getting to know the student-athletes as people, not just as athletes,” Porembo said. “Building relationships and getting to know them throughout their college experience is very rewarding.”

Scalise echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the satisfaction of watching athletes succeed in their sports.

For the Muhlenberg staff, Athletic Training is about supporting the whole person, not simply treating an injury.

“Sports medicine is about so much more than treating injuries,” Porembo said. “We are here to support the student-athlete as a whole person.”

That means advocating for athletes, helping them navigate difficult moments, and supporting their success both on and off the field.

As Porembo explained, the ultimate goal is helping student-athletes remain healthy, successful, and able to continue doing what they love.