Every afternoon, Kylie Powell unlocks the same door inside Pickerington High School Central. Before practices begin and long before the crowds fill the gym, the real work of keeping athletes healthy is already underway.
“Every day is a little bit different in athletic training,” Powell said with a smile.
Her responsibilities go far beyond taping ankles or handing out ice bags. Powell spends her days preventing injuries, evaluating athletes, guiding rehabilitation plans, coordinating medical care and checking in on athletes’ physical and mental well-being.
“We do everything from injury prevention, injury evaluation,” Powell said. “Sometimes we talk about nutrition, rest, sleep, things like that.”
For athletes like senior forward London Johnson, who played through a torn meniscus before surgery, Powell’s role extended far beyond the physical side of recovery.
“Sports—it's just a mental thing, very mental,” Johnson said. “Just having the support, knowing you have support, and just physical support also just makes you feel even better.”
That trust is built through accountability and consistency.
“One of the big things I stress with these girls is communication and accountability,” Powell said. “It definitely starts all the way in the off-season.”
Head coach Jonathan Hedgepeth believes Powell’s influence touches every part of the program.
“She’s like a mom, but she’s like a big sister,” he said. “She wears a lot of hats.”
For Powell, though, the mission extends beyond championships.
“I see them all as kids, and they have a whole life ahead of them,” she said. “I just want them to be healthy and happy and enjoy life.”
Read her full story here!