1. How long have you worked at Dominion High School?

Since we opened.  I’m in my 12^th year here after spending 9 years at Fairfax High School

2. What services do you provide students as an athletic trainer at Dominion High School?

I provide most of the health care services to our athletes with an emphasis on injury care and prevention, physical conditioning, immediate first aid and post-injury physical therapy.  I’m also the on-site reference for doctor referrals, nutritional information, and many other health-related topics.

3. Are you involved in coaching any Dominion HS sports or activities?

No coaching during my time here – the jobs occur simultaneously and have a level of conflict that wouldn’t be appropriate.

4. What is the National Athletic Trainers’ Association?

It is the largest National body that Certified Athletic Trainers belong to.  They promote the profession and provide continuing education to it’s members.  They also provide the organization that certifies athletic trainers on a national scale.

5. What does winning the Safe Sports School Award signify?

Most of what the Safe Sports School Award does is recognize that a particular school has certain practices and policies in effect that ensure that the student-athletes are getting the best treatment and care concerning sports injuries and illnesses.  There were dozens of safe practices in a variety of categories/areas in which we had to demonstrate that DHS was implementing those safe practices on a daily basis.  Anywhere from requiring physical exams for participation in sports to meeting with local EMT’s to review spinal cord injury management techniques.  This long laundry list of things we should be doing to keep our athletes safe have been going on for years here at DHS.  The NATA decided to create this award to recognize those schools who were implementing all of these safety measures.

6. What standards do you and the school have to meet to win the award?

The list was pretty long – but I mentioned a few of them above.  Some others include:  protocols for environmental concerns (heat/cold/lightening), a health care team that involves more than just the athletic trainer, AED Training, making parents aware of potential risks involved in sports, an emergency action plan for all facilities, having a permanent area equipped to treat injuries, provide access to nutritional counseling, and so on.

7. Do you plan on making any future changes to the trainers’ office?

Nothing of significance.  We do need to re-surface the treatment tables and I’m looking for someone or a local business to donate a treadmill and/or elliptical machine for rehab purposes.