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Neil Turner is preparing to begin his 20th year as the Athletic Trainer at Newark High School, a milestone he almost didn’t reach. In August 2018, Turner went into heart failure and was rushed to the hospital after a school meeting.
He coded that night and spent months in recovery, eventually receiving and later having removed a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
“I’m lucky to be alive,” Turner said. “It was not fun lying in the hospital with heart failure.”
Now 53, Turner is one of the longest-tenured high school Athletic Trainers in the state. A Kansas City native raised in Colorado, Turner credits his own high school trainer for inspiring his career. After a brief stint in banking, a chance encounter with Vinnie Ranalli led him to Newark in 2004—and he never looked back.
“I’ve had offers to go other places in the state… I just didn’t want to go anywhere else,” he said.
Over the years, Turner has mentored University of Delaware students, focused on hydration and injury prevention, and developed a philosophy centered on function:
“You can play hurt, but you can’t play injured.”
He’s also seen concussion management evolve and emphasized the need for better diagnostic tools.
Turner’s commitment to Newark extends beyond the field.
“It’s been a joy to help the families of Newark High and develop relationships with them and with the local doctors,” he said. “I think I’ve taken care of them very well for many years.”
With no plans to leave, Turner calls his role “the greatest job in the world.” As he puts it:
“I get paid to watch games with one of the best seats, in the front row.”
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