For Athletic Trainer Kristen Aguiar, the 45 minutes before practice can mean seeing 30 to 40 athletes.
That's on top of concussion management, return-to-play decisions and the other healthcare responsibilities that come with being an Athletic Trainer at Canton High School.
But across Massachusetts, that kind of full-time access isn't guaranteed.
According to reporting from The Boston Globe, approximately 67% of MIAA schools have access to a full-time Athletic Trainer, leaving thousands of student-athletes with part-time coverage or less. BostonGlobe.com
Now, there's another effort underway to change that.
A proposed MIAA rule would require schools to employ a full-time Athletic Trainer, giving those without one until 2028 to work the position into their budgets. But when the proposal recently reached the MIAA football committee, none of its 17 members supported it.
The debate centers largely on two questions: Can schools afford it, and are enough Athletic Trainers available?
Franklin County Tech athletic director Joe Gamache called the idea worthwhile but said a shortage of Athletic Trainers would make the requirement impossible.
Bob Colandreo of the Athletic Trainers of Massachusetts disagrees. He told the Globe that Massachusetts has 1,582 active Athletic Trainer licenses, but many school openings are stipend positions rather than the full-time jobs sought by healthcare professionals who now enter the field with master's-level education.
The discussion also goes beyond game-day coverage. MIAA requirements currently mandate Athletic Trainers at certain sports competitions, but that doesn't provide athletes with consistent healthcare throughout practices, rehabilitation and recovery.
Aguiar offered perhaps the simplest way to frame the issue. Schools provide nurses while students are sitting in classrooms, she noted. Then those students head outside to compete.
And at some schools, there may be no Athletic Trainer waiting for them.