AT Club: Athletic Trainers or Miracle Workers?

Jonathan Hartman is the president of the Athletic Training Club here at Plymouth State University. March is Athletic Training Month. The athletic training profession works to promote injury and illness prevention as well as wellness promotion. Athletic Trainers perform clinical evaluations and diagnosis of injuries, provide immediate and emergency care, as well as rehabilitation of injuries for athletes. Not only do they work with athletes at the H.S, college, and the professional level, but also in the military, clinic, and industrial setting.  I've recently got the chance to speak with Hartman about the AT Club involving their values and how prominent Athletic Training is here at PSU.

Clock: What is your mission as a club? What do you set out to accomplish?

Hartman: The purpose of our organization is to advance the profession of athletic training through education, research, collaboration, and professional development opportunities. We work to promote the profession throughout the community, provide community service to help the community, as well as advance education outside of the classroom.

Clock: Does the AT club hold events here at PSU?

Hartman: Last spring, the club held a concussion seminar for athletes and coaches on campus. The goal was to advance concussion awareness amongst our athletes in hopes to reduce the risk of injuries caused by undiagnosed head injuries.

Clock: How many athletic trainers are here at PSU?

Hartman: Currently at PSU we have six ATC- three who work full time at the PE Center and three who work in the classroom and teach along with practicing athletic training. Four Graduate Assistants work as certified athletic trainers here on campus while they are working to get their masters degree. As for students, there are 27 in the program including undergraduate and entry level graduate not including freshman.

Clock: Is PSU one of the best schools for an AT major?

Hartman: There are four schools in NH, including Plymouth, which have undergraduate AT. UNH, Keene, and Colby-Sawyer are the other three. However, we are the only school in NH that has an Entry-level graduate athletic training program.

Clock: What has been the most exciting/interesting event that the AT club has experienced or put on?

Hartman: This year, the Athletic Training club was able to bring students to Boston for the Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association Symposium. We also recently attended a cadaver lab where we were able to see a dissection of a human shoulder, which gave us a better understanding of shoulder anatomy.

Clock: How many members of the club are there?

Hartman: Currently there are 24 members of the AT Club.

Clock: Do you have to be a certain age?

Hartman: The club is open to anyone in the A.T Major.