A Tiger Gives Back

            The LSU Athletic Training Department would like to give a special thanks to our supporters who are “giving back” to our Athletic Training Program. We would like to give special recognition to Mr. Joe Melancon and Mr. John Purdy, both alumnus of Louisiana State University.

Joe is from Bogalusa, Louisiana and first found an interest in athletic training at his high school while working under “Buck” Jordan.  Joe also played baseball in high school. It was his coach who recommended Joe to Mel Didier who suggested Joe meet with Dr. Marty Broussard about working in the Athletic Training Room as an Athletic Trainging Student. 

Joe was accepted into LSU for the 1968-69 school year.  His dream was to follow in the footsteps of his athletic training mentor, Mr. "Buck" Jordan, who is now a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Joe’s favorite sports to work were baseball and football, however it was not long until his plans soon changed. Joe also enjoyed playing baseball and while playing at a tournament in Pontchatoula the summer of 1970, his coach Jim Smith asked him to try out for the LSU Baseball team.  Playing on the LSU Baseball team meant he would have to give up athletic training and his scholarship. With a reluctant blessing from Doc Broussard, Joe ended up playing baseball in 1971 and 1972 and served as both player and athletic trainer when they traveled.  Joe injured his wrist during the season, but recalls being very pleased by how helpful “Doc” Broussard was throughout the rehabilitation process. 

Today, Joe Melancon works at Lee Finance Company in Franklinton, LA which is a family owned business.  Because Joe did not come from a wealthy background, he knew and appreciated the worth of a dollar and how much a little extra money can help while being an athletic trainer.   Mr. Joe Melancon has been gracious enough to donate a generous amount of money to our program and our athletic training students.  He recently donated his first installment and has pledged to donate an additional $2500 each year for the next 4 years. Mr. Melancon has made a donation to the Athletic Training Special Assistance Fund which is used to help our students and GAs get through these challenging financial times.

Dr. Joe Serio and John Purdy

Another recent donor to our Special Assistance Fund is former Head Athletic Trainer, Mr. John Purdy. Mr. Purdy worked as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at LSU from 1978-80, then as an assistant Athletic Trainer from 1980-88. He he was promoted to Head Athletic Trainer for LSU and served with Football from 1988-96. In 19976 he became the Head Athletic Trainer for LSU Men’s Basketball and served in that capacity until 1998. After a distinguished career at LSU, Mr. Purdy moved to Tennessee to work for the Vanderbilt Orthopedic Institute. After many years, John returned to LSU's Tiger Stadium this season to route on the Tigers as they took on Mississippi State University.

We are so thankful to Mr. Joe Melancon and Mr. John Purdy for their continued support of the Athletic Training profession and for our program!

Kinesiology Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations to Jared Williams for being selected as the 2012 School of Kinesiology's Premier Scholar Award Winner for Athletic Training! The Kinesiology Awards Committee chose to recognize and award Jared this scholarship from amongst his kinesiology peers. One student from each kinesiology concentration is selected to receive a $500 scholarship. This student must maintain a 3.5 GPA and demonstrate exemplary scholarship, service, leadership, and contributions to the community outside of academics. "Jared receiving this scholarship is a true testament to the work he is doing not only in the Athletic Training profession, but for the Kinesiology Department at LSU" said Derek Calvert, Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for Football. Congratulations Jared!

Happy Holidays!

Alpha Tau Sigma was one of 14 student organizations that adopted a child for LSU's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athlete Affair's Thanksgiving with the Tigers event. Each year, student organizations raise money to purchase gifts for children who may otherwise not be able to have a holiday celebration. This year, twenty-two children and their family's were invited to a traditional Thanksgiving meal followed by games and holiday activities in the PMAC on Monday, November 12th. The athletic training students adopted an infant girl and raised money to give her various toys and clothing items. Special thanks to all of those who donated and attended the event to help make this holiday season a joyous one for all of those involved!

In keeping with tradition, the athletic training staff, graduate assistants, and students all gathered together to celebrate the end of the semester and the holiday season. This annual event, held at the home of Shelly Mullenix, included a pot luck dinner, plenty of desserts, and a white elephant gift exchange. The football athletic training students also debuted the first annual football staff video full that showed off the student's skills outside of athletic training including rapping, dancing, and secret hand shakes. Click HERE to see their creativity and help it go VIRAL! Everyone enjoyed spending time together outside of the athletic training room before returning home for the holidays. From the LSU Athletic Training family, we hope you all had a very Happy Holiday and wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Sarah Bair, our Athletic Training Student of the Month for November!  Sarah is a second year in our Athletic Training Program and is currently working with our nationally recognized Track and Field/ Cross Country  team.  Sarah spent her first year as an athletic training student working with the Swimming and Diving team and has been continually developing as an athletic trainer since her admission into the program.  Over the summer, Sarah took a trip to Australia to experience athletic training in a new perspective and learn athletic training skills done the "Aussie" way.  She serves as a leader and mentor this year to the younger students and is always willing to lend a helping hand.  She is always seeking to grow and improve her skills and we are proud to have her a part of our athletic training team.  After speaking with our staff athletic trainer for Track and Field/ Cross Country, Keith Thompson, he said, "it has been a pleasure working with Sarah this semester.  Sarah is improving her skills as a clinician and brings a positive energy to our staff.  Sarah has been a tremendous help, not only with Track and Field, but to the other sports that work out of Broussard Athletic Training Center as well".  Congratulations again Sarah!

Happy Halloween!

On October 30th, the athletic department held their annual Halloween BOOzar in the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse. This event provides a safe Halloween event for children and their families. Families in the Baton Rouge area are invited to come and play games, treat-or-treat, and get autographs from their favorite LSU athletes. All departments of athletics are represtented at this event, including Alpha Tau Sigma, the athletic training student organization. The student's came out in their best costumes and helped to ensure all of the children had a great night. Thanks to all of the Athletic Training Students who participated to help make this event a success!

Sports Psychologist Joins the Team

The LSU Athletic Training family is very excited to welcome our newest addition to the team: Sports Psychologist Dr. Quinten Lynn. Dr. Lynn is orginially from Reno, Nevada. He earned he undergraduate degree at Utah State and then continued on to Bowling Green State University and BYU to further his education. Before coming to LSU, he worked at Kansas State University as a sports psychologist. Dr. Lynn did not start his career with a focus on sports psychology. During his undergraduate studies, he took a sports psychology class as an elective. The material and his professor sparked his interest in the field. Then while completeing his graduate work, Dr. Lynn learned more about sports psychology and decided direct his career towards sports. Dr. Lynn has enjoyed Baton Rouge thus far and is looking forward to what the future has to bring. Welcome Dr. Lynn!

New Arrival!

We are very excited to announce a new arrival to the Thompson family! On September 21, Keith and Melissa Thompson welcomed their third beautiful baby boy to the world and named him Levi Douglas Thompson. He was born 7 pounds and 5 ounces, 20.5 inches long. Melissa advises and teaches many of the classes required for our athletic training major along with Keith who also is staff athletic trainer for the Track and Field/ Cross Country team and Drug Prevention Coordinator. Keith and Melissa are great role models to our athletic training students and graduate assistants. They are always available to encourage us and help answer any questions we may have. Melissa has had her hands full with the new baby and her two other boys, Reece and Dylan, however she will be returning to teach her classes again shortly. We thank you for all you do Keith and Melissa and welcome baby Levi!

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Ali Carter, our October student of the month! Ali is a third year in our athletic training program from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Ali's first year in the program was spent working with the LSU volleyball team and her second year at University High School. She is currently working with the Student Healh Center and in our Broussard Athletic Training facility. Ali has proven to be a hard worker and is always willing to lend a helping hand to others. We are so proud of her and after talking to our Women's Basketball staff athletic trainer, Micki Collins, she told us that Ali "would get the most-improved award. Her assistance in the athletic training room this semester has been invaluable to us. She is the first student to fill the unqiue position of working full-time in the Broussard Center for Athletic Training and she has set a high standard for all of the students who follow in her footsteps. She has demonstrated the dynamics of her skills and her personal growth this semester alone is remarkable. We are all excited to see what she accomplishes in the future." Congratulations again Ali!

From Athletic Training to Around the World

One of our very own graduate assistants, Kate Goeler, has big plans ahead.  Kate is a second year graduate assistant originally from Chittenango, New York.  Kate completed her undergrad at West Virginia University and after graduating worked for a year doing an internship with the University of Maryland.  At Maryland she worked with the football and gymnastics teams. After the internship, Kate journeyed to Louisiana State University for graduate school.  Kate was a great addition to our athletic training family and worked with the women’s soccer team last year and is currently with the women’s tennis team and is our insurance coordinator.  Over the summer, Kate applied to and got accepted to go on a mission trip called World Race. The World Race is an 11-month Christian mission trip to 11 different countries around the world that consists of about 60 people split into smaller teams of 5-7 people.  The countries Kate will be visiting are Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Philippines, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda.  She will be helping with various missions including: sex trafficking, orphanage restoration, church planting, and any other needs the countries may have.  This will be a life changing experience for Kate and she told us “I am very excited to use my skills and experiences as an athletic trainer to serve and bring hope to those around the world.” Kate will be departing on July 1, 2013 and returning on May 31, 2014.   She is currently raising support and writing a weekly blog.  To learn more about Kate’s journey ahead, you can visit her blog at kategoeler.theworldrace.org.  Good luck next year Kate!

Scholarship Recipients

LSU Athletic Training is proud to announce the scholarship recipients for the 2012-2013 school year:

Academic Achievement

Tamaria Hollis

This award is given to the Athletic Training Student with the highest GPA at the end of the prior Spring semester.

Doc Broussard Athletic Training Student of the Year

Jared Williams

This athletic training student shows exemplary performance in the classroom and in the athletic training room. Their qualities help propel them into leadership roles in the athletic training profession. They should serve as role models for not only the athletic training students in the program but the pre-professional students aspiring to become athletic trainers.

Come Back Kid Award

Reese Shivers

This athletic training student played an integral role in the treatment and rehabilitation and recovery of a student-athlete's injury. This person has become an part of the creation and implementation of the rehabilitation protocol. The injury sustained should have been season ending or season altering for the student-athlete.

Adam Sturlese Memorial Sports Medicine Award

Jared Williams

The recipient of this scholarship is voted most outstanding Football Athletic Training Student who possesses a strong work ethic and continues to excel in the field of Athletic Training regardless of obstacles. They have a positive attitude and a strong determination to work with their peers as a "team" not as an individual. They are appreciative of others and always offer a helping hand. They are role models in the classroom despite the hours that are devoted to the football and athletic training programs. This Athletic Training Student is relied upon and trusted by all football staff, graduate assistants and fellow peers.

Special Assistance Fund

Yuri Ashley

This student has shown unusual financial hardship as a result of their involvement in the athletic training profession. They may have an unusual financial situation that requires them to hold a job to supplement their finances, find their own collegiate experience as well as other reasons why they may need financial assistance.

Tiger Cub Award

Derek Carter

This scholarship is given to the Pre-Professional Athletic Training Student with the highest binding scores during the application process into the Athletic Training Education Program. They have poise and maturity and have left the staff with the confidence that they will continue to represent our program with dignity and class.


For more information on these students and scholarships, visit: http://lsuats.blogspot.com/

An Aussie Adventure

This past summer Sarah Bair, an LSU second year athletic training student, traveled with James Madison University students to study Sports Medicine in Australia. While in Australia, Sarah was able to see many different sports arenas and talk to some Australian physiotherapists. She traveled to Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns, and Surfer's Paradise. She has an incredible time learning about the importance of sports in Australian culture. She was also able to watch some Aussie rules football, netball, rugby league, rugby union, and a few other sports during her travels. "Australia was such an eye-opening experience to the ways sports medicine is impacting people all over the world and I can't wait to keep exploring" said Bair.  Sarah has opened her classmates eyes to opportunities around the globe and different ways to use their skills.

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Jared Williams, LSU’s Athletic Training Student of the Month for September! Jared is a standout third year in our program currently working with the LSU Football team. His previous clinical assignments included softball and soccer. Jared is an excellent role model and leader for his classmates and younger students both in the classroom and clinically. He currently serves as the treasurer for the student organization Alpha Tau Sigma and was one of two students to earn an internship role with the LSU football team this past summer. Jared is this year's receipients of both the Doc Broussard Athletic Training Student of the Year Scholarship and the Adam Sturlese Memorial Sports Medicine Award. When asked about Williams, Shelly Mullenix said, "While we believe we have been fortunate to get a great group of athletic training students, it is Jared who has provided exceptional senior level leadership to his athletic training peers. In a setting like football we need a fast response and a great work ethic. We get that with Jared...but it comes in a calm, cool and collected package. He is well deserving of this month's Student of the Month Award." Congratulations Jared!

Post-Season Play

It’s not every season that a team is successful enough to participate in post-season play, but that is exactly the position the LSU softball team found themselves in last season. After a year of hard work, dedication, and victories over difficult opponents, the team made its third program appearance the Women’s College World Series. Caitlyn McKinley and Yuri Ashley, the athletic training students with the team for the 2011-2012 season, were fortunate enough to be able to make the trip to Oklahoma City with the team. When asked about the trip, Ashley said “it was an unbelievable experience to have to opportunity to go with the team to the World Series. It was a blessing for Coach Torina to want both students to go to the tournament because usually only one student is able to attend. Being at a post series championship with Anna, Caitlyn, and the entire team is something I will never forget and was a great way to end my first year in the athletic training program.” According to Head Athletic Trainer, Jack Marucci, part of the team’s success can be attributed to “The Luck of the Yuri.” Both Caitlyn and Yuri gained invaluable experience with the team throughout the season and during post-season play and wish the team best of luck in the season to come.

Welcome Back Students!

 Summer has come to a close and all of our athletic trainers have made their way back to Baton Rouge. Prior to the start of classes, the athletic training staff and students gathered for a yearly in-service. Our in-service took place over a span of five days and everyone was very excited to reunite.  We refreshed our knowledge of OSHA guidelines, CPR/first aid training, NCAA guidelines, and much more.  We were also very thankful to have paramedics from Acadian Ambulance teach us some new CPR techniques with new tools to maintain open airways.  All of our students were able to practice these new techniques on life-like models and gain confidence in using these new tools.  We all met at our new sport locations and went over our emergency action plans and emergency equipment use.   In-service reflected a readiness for working with our new sports and start to this new school year.  We are all very eager and cannot wait to see how our athletic trainers and major will continue to improve. 

Bonding Night

In keeping with tradition, the Alpha Tau Sigma officers hosted the 2^nd annual student athletic trainer bonding night following in-service. This year’s festivities were held at Tiger Park and included a pudding eating contest, kickball tournament, and pizza dinner. All of the students were randomly divided into teams and told to come up with a team name and color. Pitches Be Crazy in blue, Death Valley Ballaz in gold and black, Crush N’ Gush in purple, and Ball Busters in red all brought their A game to the field where opponents for the first round of tournament play were determined by a pudding eating contest. Sarah Keating, of Crush N’ Gush, killed the competition and positioned her team in the number one seat of the kickball tournament to take on Devon Bowie and the Ball Busters in the first round. Reigning champion, Jenna Nicol, took a close second place and positioned her team, Death Valley Ballaz, to face off against Tiffani Frizzle and Pitches Be Crazy.

After several rounds of intense tournament play, Pitches Be Crazy emerged victorious. All of the students then enjoyed a pizza dinner and spent time getting to know each other better by talking and reveling interested facts about themselves.  Judging by this event, this is sure to be a fun-filled and successful year!

Alumni Returns

We are very excited to welcome our newest staff member, Pam Workman, back to our athletic training family! Pam earned her undergraduate degree in athletic training at LSU before obtaining her masters at Southern Miss while working as a graduate assistant for the football team. After graduating from Southern Miss, Pam was hired there as the staff athletic trainer for the football team.  After several season at football, she became the staff athletic trainer for the baseball team and held that position for four years.  Now, she has found her way back to LSU and is our new staff athletic trainer for the softball team.  She will also be teaching a couple of classes to our first year students in the program and working with drug prevention.  A fun fact about Pam is that she was working with the baseball team at LSU when they won the College World Series and was also with baseball at Southern Miss when they went to the World Series for the first time ever!  After speaking with Pam she told us that she is “very excited to be a part of the LSU family again and see how things have changed and how we have grown, it’s just a great place to be!”  Welcome back to the family Pam and we can’t wait to see what is in store for this year ahead!

Congratulations Seniors!

Congratulations to the LSU Senior Athletic Training Students! Upon their graduation on May 18th, they will all become certified athletic trainers.  Following in the foot steps of last year's graduating class, every student passed their Board of Certification exam on the first attempt. This is the second time in LSU history that we have had a 100% pass rate!

The senior class would like to thank every staff member and graduate assistant that has helped them through their clinical years at LSU.  They would especially like Micki Collins who teachers the BOC prep class that has lead to their success!  In addition, a specfial thanks to Dr. Ray Castle and Dr. Melissa Thompson for their guidance in the academic setting.

Student's Summer Plans

As the school year comes to a close and summer begins, many of our students have exciting plans.  Our athletic training program is proud to announce seven of our students who will be working various internships over the summer.  Caitlyn McKinley and Jared Williams have been chosen to receive internships with LSU football and scholarships to attend summer classes. When asked about this internship, Jared said “I’m excited, anxious, and blessed to have the opportunity to further my development as a clinician working as a summer intern with LSU football. I cannot wait to start and rise to the occasion.”  Caitlyn commented that she is honored to “have been chosen for this internship position. I know this will help me further my athletic training knowledge to only become a better clinician in the future. I’m excited and ready to begin working and learning.” John McLaughlin and Jeremy Mayard, two student athletic trainers who both worked with the LSU football team this year, have received internships with the New Orleans Saints.  John will be working a mini camp in May and June and Jeremy will join the team for training camp at the end of July.  Eduardo Godoy, who is a first year athletic training student with the football team, will be working with the Arizona Cardinals for the month of July and through training camp. Eduardo is looking forward to the “opportunity to work training camp and pre season games because of the insight it will provide into the life of an athletic trainer in the NFL.”  Reese Shivers, who is currently working with women’s basketball, began an internship with an arena football team  (the New Orleans VooDoo) in March and will continue to work with them through the end of July. “Working with the New Orleans VooDoo has given me an amazing opportunity to grow as an athletic trainer. I have already been exposed to numerous injuries and am able to practice my communication and leadership skills in a professional setting. I have learned how to think on my feet and how to make use of the equipment and material that are given to me” said Shivers. Brandon Cobb, athletic training student for the men’s basketball team, will return as an intern to the New York Giants. For Brandon, this internship is “a great learning experience which helped me grow as an athletic trainer. I am very fortunate for them to have asked me back again this preseason.”  We are very proud of all of our student trainers and know that they will succeed in all of their endeavors.

Staff Member to Present at CATA Conference

LSU Women's Basketball Athletic Trainer, Micki Collins will be presenting her case study, Guillain Barre Syndrome in a Female Collegiate Athlete, at the CATS Conference next week in Las Vegas.  The case study is based one of Collins' senior athletes during the 2010-2011 season.  Within three days, the student-athlete went from symptoms of blurred vision and a headache to the inability to walk, perform daily activities and speak clearly. After a battery of tests and a worsening of her symptoms, she was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome. Guillain Barre is a rare syndrome in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks part of the peripheral nervous system.  On the fourth day, the athlete had to be put on a ventilator. However, with the help of immunoglobin IVs, her recovery was accelerated.  Sixteen days after her first symptoms she was out of ICU and admitted into the rehabilitation wing.  Her rehabilitation consisted of physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.  What was suppose to be a 30 day process in the rehabilitation unit was only ten days due to the hardwork and determination of the athlete. The athlete has made a full recovery and returned to play.  Congratulations to Micki Collins for being chosen to present at CATS!  We hope you will have the opportunity to listen to her at the upcoming conference.

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Brendan Jacob who is our Student of the Month for May!  Brendan is currently a first year and is working with the Swimming and Diving team.  This is Brendan’s second time to earn student of the month this year.  Brendan has been an excellent addition to our athletic training family and has done a great job of stepping up as an athletic training student and as a leader to his peers. Derek Calvert, current graduate assistant athletic trainer for the gymnastics team, spoke about Brendan as doing “a great job this year as a first year student. He has been Student of the Month twice this year and has done a great job of managing his work schedule, school, and athletic training responsibilities well. He has had to take on increased responsibility this month with Brandon Stone leaving early to fill a position with the Arizona Cardinals from the standpoint of scheduling doctor appointments to creating rehabilitation plans under the supervision of Paul Porter and myself.”  With Brendan’s great personality and strong work ethic, he is sure to excel in this career.  Congrats again Brendan!

8th Annual High School Symposium

On March 24, Alpha Tau Sigma held its 8th Annual High School Symposium. The event was a big success with participants attending from all over Louisiana and Texas. The morning session consisted of a taping lab, spine boarding lab, and a facilities tour, including the Football Operations Training Room and Indoor Facility. After lunch, the sessions included an anatomy and palpation lab, a stretching lab, and an equipment fitting lab. The day concluded with a discussion panel led by third year athletic training students. Thanks to all who participated and helped make this event possible!

John Norwig Visits LSU

Last month, our LSU athletic training students were fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with Pittsburgh Steelers’ Head Athletic Trainer of 21 years, Mr. John Norwig. Norwig obtained his undergraduate degree as well as his Master's at Penn State University. He has worked at many different levels of athletics ranging from high school to professional sports. During his speech to our athletic training students, Norwig was very enthusiastic and willing to answer any questions the AT students had and took the time to described a day in the life of an athletic trainer working in the National Football League. He discussed the differences and similarities between working for a collegiate athletic team and professional one. He openly discussed his management style and approach he has used within his athletic training room. Norwig talked about both the positives and negatives of operating an athletic training room with a business approach versus one that is more family oriented in the way it deals with athletes and staff. He explained how even though the players feel it is often times about business, that there were ways to effectively develop meaningful relationships between the players, the staff, and management. Another interesting discussion centered around the Steelers Athletic Training Staff is that they are the only professional football team to have hired a full-time female athletic trainer. According to Norwig, having a female athletic trainer was a great addition and the players treated her the same as her male counterparts and respected the opinions she had to offer. Above all else, Norwig’s one piece of advice was for our athletic training students was to always have a positive attitude. Having a positive attitude will always make the athletic training room a more enjoyable atmosphere. We appreciate Mr. Norwig coming to visit with the staff and students in LSU's Athletic Training Department and wish their athletic training staff the best of luck this coming season!

GA Earns Internship with NFL Team

Congratulations to Brandon Stone, ATC, who will be joining the Arizona Cardinals for a seasonal internship for this upcoming NFL season. Brandon is a second year Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer. He has worked with the LSU Football team and LSU Swimming and Diving teams. When asked about his time here at LSU and the next step in his career, Brandon said, “My time here at LSU has been awesome. I enjoyed working with football and swimming and diving teams. I won’t forget the relationships that were formed and the knowledge that I gained. I am excited to be able to have the opportunity to go to Arizona and help with their organization.” The LSU Athletic Training family is very excited for Brandon and wishes him the best of luck!

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Tamaria Hollis, LSU’s Athletic Training Student of the Month for April! Tam is a first year student currently working with the gymnastics team. She is a great asset to the Athletic Training Program and is always eager to learn. Tam has helped to mentor the pre-professional athletic training students and is a great role model for her peers as well. When asked about Tam, Derek Calvert, ATC, Certified Graduate Athletic Trainer for LSU gymnastics, said “Tamaria has done a great job as a first year student this year. She has built a great relationship with everyone at gymnastics and has earned the trust of the girls as well. She has done a great job in building her time management skills as was evident with her working the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, covering gymnastics, and keeping up with her schoolwork. She entered our Athletic Training Program as our strongest Pre-Professional Student and has continued to be a valuable asset this year. We expect her to continue to grow as an athletic training student while she’s in the program. I’m very proud of her for being named student of the month.” Congratulations Tam!

SEATA Symposium 2012

Several of the first and second years, accompanied by Dr. Melissa Thompson and Dr. Ray Castle, attended different lectures and hands on learning sessions at this years SEATA student symposium in Atlanta, Georgia. The first year students had sessions covering subjects such as spine-boarding, Theraband, concussions and taping. While they were fine tuning their skills, the second year students participated in hands-on sessions for Kinesiotaping, joint mobilizations, and orthotics. Also, they got helpful information concerning making resumes, functional rehabilitation and the Athletic Trainer’s influence on the psychological factor involved in rehabilitations with the athletes. Along with the educational sessions, the students established connections with athletic training students all around the country including Quinnipiac University. Second year student Leann Nickerson said, "The extra knowledge we brought back will help us both in our classes and clinical sites."

GA Returns Home with New Job Opportunity

As the spring semester goes by, graduate assistants and third year students start to think and plan for the next step in their careers. These things can never be planned and usually do not happen exactly at the right moment, but nevertheless it always is a worthwhile and exciting journey. For one member of the LSU Athletic Training family the next step came just like that. Scott Campbell, ATC, and the Graduate Athletic Assistant Trainer for LSU Volleyball this past year, has been given the opportunity to be an Assistant Athletic Trainer for Penn State Football. Scott, a native of Pennsylvania, attended Penn State for undergraduate school and then had a run with the Chicago Bears before attending LSU for graduate school. While here, Scott has worked with the LSU Track and Field and Cross Country teams and LSU Volleyball. When asked about the next step in his career, Scott said, “I am pleased to come back to my alma mater and it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I am thankful for the chance to show my strengths that I have gained at LSU. Head Athletic Trainer Tim Bream gave me a chance and I am looking forward to the challenge. The new job will help me grow as an athletic trainer and as a person. My time at LSU will not be forgotten; the relationships and friendships that I made will stay with me forever. The athletic training experience was great and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” The entire LSU Athletic Training Staff is very proud of Scott and wishes him the best of luck!

LSU Welcomes Semester Intern

The LSU Athletic Training Staff is happy to welcome a new member to our group of student athletic trainers this semester. Herb Reinhard comes to us from Valdosta Sate University. Valdosta State University requires their graduating seniors to perform a semester long internship with a different program. Herb has been an asset to our staff, graduate assistants, and students this semester. He has brought with him the experience of working a variety of sports at Valdosta State and a strong academic background in orthopedic evaluations and rehabilitation skills. Herb is hoping to gain more knowledge while here at LSU where he is getting the opportunity to work with a wide range of our sports teams. When asked about his experience at LSU Herb says, “I have learned many new skills that will help me become a better athletic trainer since coming to LSU. I have also had the opportunity to work with many different sports, some of which I have never been able to work before. I have enjoyed seeing the similarities and differences between VSU and LSU, and will carry my new skill set with me into future endeavors.” He will be taking what he has learned at Valdosta Sate and here at LSU to Troy University next year where he will work as a graduate assistant with the football program for two years. Herb has been a pleasure to work with, a great help, and will be missed when his time here is done.

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Brendan Jacob, LSU’s Athletic Training Student of the Month for March! Brendan is a first year athletic training student currently working with LSU Swimming and Diving. His dedication and willingness to work has been noticed by not just Swimming and Diving, but by the entire LSU Athletic Training Staff. When asked about Brendan, Brandon Stone, ATC, Certified Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for LSU Swimming and Diving said, “Brendan is a great asset in helping me with swimming and diving. He is a very helpful and motivated person with a promising future."

LSU Sports Nutrition Accomplishing Great Things

No matter what time of year it is, there is one person in the LSU Athletic Training family who never has an offseason. Jamie Mascari, LSU coordinator of sports nutrition, is constantly on the go working with our athletes and improving their overall health and well-being. With all the hard work she has put in, it is no surprise that Jamie has been named this year’s “Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year”. Although only with LSU for a few months now, Jamie already has made huge changes in the athletes’ diets and their views on food. Jamie is available almost 24/7 to have one-on-one consultations and team presentations. She will even tag along on shopping trips to make sure the athletes are implementing what they have been taught in their grocery selections. Shelly Mullenix, MS, ATC, Staff Certified Athletic Trainer for LSU Football and Director of Wellness said, “We are so honored to have Jamie on our staff. Being named as "Recognized Young Dietician of Baton Rouge" is a tremendous honor for an individual so early in her career. However, she has been working with us for long enough to have made a very big impact on our athletic teams as well as on individuals in our programs. She communicates well, is enthusiastic and is innovative in her approach to educating our athletes. She may be an asset to Baton Rouge, but she is a bigger asset to LSU's Athletic Department.” The LSU Athletic Training family is extremely grateful for Jamie and very proud of all of her accomplishments. Great job Jamie and keep up the good work!

To view Jamie’s interview with the Reveille on the importance of diet in LSU’s athletes visit:

http://www.lsureveille.com/sports/diet-plays-important-role-in-lsu-athletes-health-well-being-1.2690438

LSU Alumni Plays Major Role in Life Saving Event

Gage Trahan graduated from LSU's Athletic Training Program in December, 2006, and moved to Pineville, La. He attended graduate school at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, and was involved in a Graduate Assistantship program through a local hospital doing outreach for several rural high schools. He began working at Pineville High School full time in August of 2008, and earned his Master’s Degree in Sports Administration in May 2009. He is currently in his second year of teaching health and sports medicine at Pineville High School and in his fourth year as Head Athletic Trainer. On December 12, at a basketball between Nachitoches Central and Pineville, 15 year old calvin Haynes collapsed with cardiac arrhythmia. His heart stopped for several minutes and he was unconscious for 30 minutes. When asked about the importance of having an athletic trainer present in secondary schools, he replied, “No matter the level of competition, a crisis like this can occur at any moment in sports. The young man who collapsed was an otherwise healthy high school freshman. This near tragedy could not have been anticipated. A registered nurse happened to be at the game to watch her daughter play in a game that was to follow the boys’ basketball game. She was instrumental in saving this young man’s life, but an athlete’s safety cannot rest on the chance that a medical professional will be in the stands. It is vital that a Certified Athletic Trainer is on campus during sports practices and games. This need cannot be overstated.” Louisiana is one state that has not yet had to resort to pay-for-play athletics programs at the high school level, where athletics user fees have been the norm for high school administrators, coaches, parents and students. When asked how LSU influenced his reaction to an emergency such as this one, he responded, “As a college student, I did not understand the importance of going through the CPR/AED training over and over before two-a-days began each summer. I am so glad now that the outstanding staff of Athletic Trainers at LSU thoroughly prepared me and the other athletic training students for any situation that we might face on the playing field or court. The last thing I expected at a freshman basketball game on a Monday afternoon in December was for this young man’s heart to cease functioning. When the unthinkable happened, though, I was ready to act quickly and effectively because of my LSU training.”

Alpha Tau Sigma Sets Date for Annual Spring High School Symposium

Alpha Tau Sigma, LSU Athletic Training Fraternity has announced its date for its 8th Annual Spring Symposium held each year for high school students interested in the Allied Health profession of Athletic Training. The symposium will be held on Saturday, March 24 from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM and will feature the following activities:

• Anatomy Lessons with a Palpation Lab
• Vital Sign Collection
• Spine Boarding
• Splinting
• Upper and Lower Extremity Theraband Lesson and Lab
• Upper and Lower Extremity Taping Labs
• Lunch and refreshments will also be provided

If you, or anybody you know has a sincere interest in becoming an Athletic Trainer or simply would like to learn from the Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students of LSU, visit Alpha Tau Sigma's Symposium Website here. It will be a great opportunity to get to know LSU's Athletic Training Program, as well as enjoy a full day of hands-on activities and education.

Below are some pictures of last year's Annual Spring High School Symposium featuring some of the activities that high school students may participate in:

BCS National Championship Bowl 2012

The Athletic Training Football Staff for the 2011-2012 football season did not have to travel far for their bowl experience, but that did not stop them from having a good time. New Orleans was a great setting for the BCS Championship game. After days of hard work at practice the student athletic trainers got to enjoy nights of bowling, ice skating, and just wandering around the French Quarter. Needless to say, it was an experience these students will never forget.

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Ben Morale, LSU’s Athletic Training Student of the Month for February! Ben is a first year student currently working with the LSU Volleyball team. When asked about Ben, Scott Campbell, ATC, Certified Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for LSU Volleyball said, “ Ben has been a welcomed addition to the LSU volleyball sports medicine staff. He has done a great job with specific rehabs and interacts well with the coaches and athletes. He has a quiet demeanor, but gets the job done! He will continue to make strides as an athletic training student.” Congratulations Ben!