Thanksgiving with the Tigers

Every holiday season, LSU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athlete Affair’s hosts Thanksgiving with the Tigers. Student organizations and each athletic team adopts a child who may not otherwise be able to have a holiday celebration. Each team raises funds to provide gifts for their child and then invites their families to take part in a traditional Thanksgiving meal and games in the PMAC. The athletic training students where able to help make a newborn girl’s first Christmas a memorable one through their generous donations. Special thanks to all of those who donated and attended the event to help make this holiday season a joyous one!

Goodbye Thompson Family

We are sad to see the Thompsons leave our athletic training family, but so happy for this new journey in their life.  Melissa Thompson has been the Assistant Professor of Professional Practice and Advisor of Alpha Tau Sigma since 2004.  Keith Thompson was our Track and Field/ Cross Country staff athletic trainer and drug test administrator for 12 years total.  Keith and Melissa have been such a blessing to our program and have never hesitated to go above and beyond to help our students and program.  Both have taught many of the students’ classes and have always had a passion for enhancing the knowledge of our athletic training students.  They will now be moving to West Virginia where Keith has taken a position with Mylan Pharmaceuticals in Morgantown.  Keith has already begun working and is working with their Quality Assurance Division.   Melissa will be working on her most important job as Mom and says she will “Wait on God to open the door He wants to open”.  After speaking with Melissa she says they both “Enjoyed their time here at LSU, working with the students and staff.  Everyone will be missed, but we are excited for what’s in store”.   Congrats on this new opportunity Thompsons and we wish you luck on this new stage in life! You will be missed.

BOOzar

For this year’s annual BOOzar on October 27^th, member of the athletic training program dawned their favorite costumes along with other member of the athletic department to take part in a family-friendly Halloween event. Families from the Baton Rouge area where invited to play games, trick-or-treat, and visit with their favorite LSU athletes. The athletic training students set up three bowling lanes which water bottles as pins and rolls of tape as the bowling balls. The games were a hit and even Mike the Tiger played a few frames. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success and the athletic training students who participated.

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Brandon Cazaubon, our student of the month for November! Brandon is a second year athletic training student in our program and is currently working with the Track and Field/ Cross Country team.  Last year, Brandon worked at the University High Lab School.  Even though Brandon is only a second year student, he has truly been stepping up as a leader through his work ethic and dedication to our program.  When speaking with Brandon’s preceptor, Sarah Conrad, she said “Brandon has great work ethic.  He takes initiative in all aspects of athletic training and is extremely assertive.  He will do any task without complaint.  Brandon also has an eagerness to learn that’s refreshing.”  

Porter Returns!

Paul Porter, a recent graduate from our masters program is back!  Paul obtained his Mater’s degree in May and left LSU to work with Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team.  However, due to the recent addition of our Women’s Sand Volleyball Team, Paul is back at LSU!  He will serve as the intern athletic trainer for our Sand Volleyball team until the end of the semester.  Our new team currently consists of five athletes with Fran Flory as the present head coach.  Paul will be attending practices, performing injury evaluations, and implementing rehabilitation and maintenance programs.   Paul stated that he is “thrilled to be able to come back to LSU and work with the sand volleyball team.” He’s “looking forward to gaining exposure to a new and exciting sport.”  Even though it will only be for a short period of time, we are so excited to have Paul back again! 

Fall Fellows

We are so thankful to have our two new fellows working with us this year, Dr. Scott Grayner and Dr. Matthew Simmons.  This month we will be doing a spotlight on Dr. Grayner.  Dr. Grayner, originally from California, attended undergrad at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  He then attended medical school in Cambridge, England.  While in medical school, he spent three months in Uganda, Africa studying tropical medicine and assisting in general, obstetric, and orthopedic surgery.  His residency was completed at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Pennsylvania.  He has also worked as an Air Force officer and later an ER physician in Miami Beach.  Dr. Grayner has also participated in humanitarian work in Haiti directly following the earthquake in 2010.  Dr. Grayner was then led to work here at LSU in order to prepare for a career in Sports Medicine working with elite athletes.  He states that he’s “really enjoyed working with the athletic training staff thus far and look forward to future collaborative efforts in treating our athletes and helping them return to competition.”  We are happy to have our two new fellows and look forward to a great year ahead!

Continued Generosity

On behalf on the entire LSU athletic training program, we would like to recognize and thank Mr. Joe Melancon for his yearly donation to the Athletic Training Special Assistance Fund, which is used to help our students and graduate assistant get through these challenging financial times. Mr. Melancon is a former LSU baseball player who always had an interest in athletic training and special admiration for his mentor, Mr. "Buck" Jordan, who is now a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, and "Doc" Broussard, who help him during the rehabilitation process for an injured wrist during his playing time. Today, Mr. Melancon works at Lee Finance Company in Franklinton, LA which is a family owned business.  He has been gracious enough to donate a generous amount of money to our program and our athletic training students. We all appreciate his generosity and look forward to opportunities it will create in the future. 

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Adrianne Bosworth, our student of the month for September! Adrianne is currently a second year in the undergraduate athletic training program. This year, she is working with the LSU Swimming and Diving teams and was previously gained experience at University High School and with the LSU Volleyball team. When asked about Adrianne, Alisha Tolbert, graduate assistant with the Swimming and Diving teams said, "Adrianne is a hardworking student who goes out of her way to help her peers. She is very knowledgeable and passionate about athletic training and has an exceptional work ethic." Adrianne has been an excellent addition to our athletic training program and a great mentor to younger students this year. Congratulation Adrianne and keep up the great work!

Inservice into a New Year

We were very excited to welcome our new graduate assistants, student athletic trainers, and other supporting staff into this new year at inservice.  This year we spent five days going over protocol, programs, and emergency action plans.  Our students all got certified and re-certified in CPR and First Aid.  We also had many other education opportunities such as going over proper procedures for spineboarding from Acadian Ambulance, intubation techniques from Danny Pyle of Fire and Emergency Training Institute, and installing our emergency action plans at each site.  We also went over goals and expectations from each of our preceptors and staff members. We are very excited to start this new year and have many new plans and goals ahead!

 

Batters Up!

The summer months in the athletic training room can quickly turn to a static routine of treatments, rehabilitation, and Conditioning. Luckily for our graduate assistant athletic trainers, Jack Marucci, Director of Athletic Training and Head Athletic Trainer for LSU football, offered to host the 1^st Annual Graduate Assistant Whiffle Ball tournament in his backyard, which he has turned into a ballpark. Marucci, who also happens to be the founder of The Marucci Bat Company™, has a passion for the sport of baseball, and invited the first and second year graduate assistants to face off in a friendly tournament one August evening. After great plays on both sides of the mound from each team, the series was down to a 2-2 split. In the end, the rookie graduate assistants prevailed and were crowned the victors. Congratulations 1^st years and stay tuned for the rematch.

Ladies in the League

The new school year is officially in full swing. Campus is alive with students again, the new graduate assistants are learning their way around town, and our students are settling into their clinical rotations. For six of our undergraduate students, the start of classes also meant the end of National Football League internships. Will Payne, Eduardo Godoy, Devon Bowie, and Derek Carter all had the opportunity to work with various professional football teams for six weeks during their summer vacation. Aside from these hard-working gentlemen, two of our female students were also interns for NFL teams. Tamaria Hollis was selected to work with the athletic training department for the Buffalo Bills and Derionne Brooks was with the Pittsburgh Steelers. These two organizations are in the minority when it comes to hiring female athletic training students. Two women entering the professional football arena from the same undergraduate program is a testament to the education our students receive in the classroom and in their clinical experiences. Tamaria Hollis was shocked and slightly intimidated when she received the news of her acceptance. When asked about her experience she said, “I had the pleasure of meeting tons of great people and learning a little bit of everything from everyone.  From media interns to head athletic trainers, working for the Buffalo Bills was the best experience of my life. For six weeks I was a part of one of the greatest organizations there is in the National Football league and I am honored to have been selected.” While she did admit there were limitations placed on her because she was a female, such as assisting athletes in settings such as the locker room, she did not feel excluded or a less vital component of the athletic training team. Derionne Brooks had similar feelings about her experience with the Steelers. She enjoyed the opportunity to see how professional football organizations are run in comparison to the collegiate setting. “A typical day in the NFL was actually similar to working LSU football camp. Set up and treatments started at 6:30am, then meetings, walk throughs, lunch, taping, and practice. What surprised me the most was the environment. It was amazing to be able to see the differences in college and professional athletes and how they prepare for practice and take the initiative to take care of themselves,” said Brooks. While she and her two female coworkers did receive some extra attention from athletes and staff because of their gender, they were quickly able to earn the respect and trust they deserved. Thank you ladies for representing not only LSU, but also all female athletic trainers, in such an exemplary way and congratulation on a job well done to all of our NFL interns!

Alumni Reunite

Two of our alumni, former Athletic Training Student Jared Williams and former Graduate Assistant Derek Calvert, recently reunited in Philadelphia. Williams, is currently at the University of Maryland in College Park completing a Sports Medicine Fellowship as an Assistant Athletic Trainer with Baseball. He was accompanying an athlete to see Dr. Meyers at Vincera Core Physicians. Dr. Meyers has 25 years of experience in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of core muscles injuries. Calvert works along side Dr. Meyers as a Certified Athletic Trainer in the clinical and operating room setting. Williams and Calvert, who both worked with the LSU football team in 2012, were able to meet up thousands of miles away and share their more recent experiences since leaving LSU. It is exciting to see our alumni reconnecting in such a unique setting. This is just more evidence that the relationships built while at LSU carry on way beyond our campus gates...and that you are also networking at all times! 

Student of the Month

Congratulations to Meaghan Hussey, our student athletic trainer of the month for August! Meaghan is currently a third year in our athletic training program working with the LSU Football program. She has previously worked with LSU Track and Field/ Cross Country and also Women’s Basketball. Meaghan has always exemplified high qualities of leadership, dedication, and love for what she does. She is the president of Alpha Tau Sigma, our athletic training fraternity and also co-editor of Tiger Talk Newsletter. She always goes above and beyond what she is asked to do and has been a great asset to our athletic training family. Her graduate assistant, Taylor Spyker, describes Meaghan as “a phenomenal student who shows great maturity.” Taylor “can’t wait to see what Meaghan accomplishes not only for herself but for the profession.” Congrats again Meaghan!

A New Face in the Athletic Training Program

Meghan Reid, our new Assistant Program Director, has been with us now for a year.  She has done a great job and fits perfectly into our athletic training family.  Meghan is originally from St. Louis and went to undergrad at Truman State University.   She attended graduate school at Southern Illinois, where she was a graduate assistant for the softball and swimming and diving team.  After graduation she worked as a strength and conditioning coach and assistant professor for exercise physiology at Lindenwood University.  She worked with the softball, swimming, field hockey, throwers, and water polo teams.  She is now working at LSU and working towards obtaining her PhD.  She currently teaches Biomechanics, Organization and Administration, and a Communicable Disease class.  An interesting fact about Meghan is that she worked for the Disabled Athletes Sports Association (DASA) with athletes for two years.  Her client base ranged in ages from 6 to 55 years of age.  Some of the disabled athletes she was fortunate to work with were living active lives with conditions such as cerebral palsy, visual impairments, and amputations. What a rewarding opportunity it would be to assist those athletes reach their personal goals.  She is excited to further her education here at LSU and hopes to one day serve as a Program Director and Athletic Trainer in a University setting. 

Congratulations Graduates!

We are proud to announce that for the the third year in a row, our entire third year class passed the BOC on their first attempt! Since graduating from LSU, they have all become certified athletic trainers and  secured positions at schools across the country.

Ali Carter
Encore Rehabilitation - Certified Athletic Trainer for high schools in the area
Gulfport, Mississippi



 
Brandon Cobb
Health Teacher and Varsity Basketball Coach at Cypress Falls High School
Houston, Texas



Jared Williams
University of Maryland- Sports Medicine Fellowship as Assitant Athletic Trainer with Baseball
College Park, Maryland




Payton Kingsley
University of South Carolina- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer while earning a Masters of Science in Athletic Training
Columbia, South Carolina

 



Jeremy Mayard
Assistant Athletic Trainer at Cypress Woods High School
Cypress Woods, Texas


 
Caitlyn McKinley
Mississippi State University- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer  Men and Women’s
Tennis while earning a Masters in Nutrition and Health Promotions
Starkville, Mississippi


John McLaughlin
Stephen F. Austin State University- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer with Women's Volleyball
Nacogdoches, Texas


Leann Nickerson
University of Texas at Tyler to earn a Masters in Kinesiology while working towards getting a Teaching Certification. Graduate Assistant through Trinity Mother Frances Hospital at Palestine High School
Tyler, Texas

Reese Shivers

University of Southern Mississippi- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer with Football and Men and Women’s Tennis while earning a Masters in Sports Management

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Congratulations to all of you! We are proud of all you have accomplished and excited to see what the future brings.

Ironman

On May 18, 2013, seven of our Athletic Training Students and Director, Dr. Ray Castle, had the privilege of volunteering at the Ironman working with Memorial Hermann’s medical team.  Our Athletic Training Students included Sarah Bair, Olivia Bourgeois, Derek Carter, Bayley Romig, Sarah Keating, Adrianne Bosworth, and Taylor Wright.  The students were dispersed between working in the transition medical tent and finish line.  It was one of Houston’s hotter days, so the students worked diligently tending to many athletes suffering from heat illnesses.  However, a wide variety of injuries were seen ranging from debilitating foot blisters to a broken clavicle and ribs.  The athletic trainers were working alongside doctors, nurses, and physical therapists so it was a great opportunity to learn how to communicate and work together while bringing  their own set of different strengths and skills.  It was eye opening to learn and observe how to face certain challenges, one being having athletes from all over the world who are not used to the weather or who may not even speak English.  The race and medical tents were very well organized and it was because of the efficient communication between all of the medical staff that allowed it to run so smoothly.  We appreciate the staff of Memorial Hermann hospital allowing us to cover this event and we look forward to next year!

End of Year Student Crawfish Boil

To celebrate the end of another great year, all of our undergradute and graduate students gathered together to enjoy a crawfish boil. A little rain couldn't keep us from all gathering together to reflect on the past year and spend time together before everyone goes their seperate ways for the summer. Thank you to Derek Carter for offering up his home to hold almost 50 of us! This event also would not have been possible if not for the success of our high school student symposium. Alpha Tau Sigma was able to fully fund this event with the profit from that incredibly successfull event earlier in the Spring semester. We hope all of our student have a safe and successful summer and come back with improved skilled, great experiences, and ready for another great year to come!

Student of the Month

Congratulations to our two students of the month, Payton Kingsley and Tiffani Frizzell!  This is our second tie this year, however both student have shown exceptional growth and work ethic.  Payton Kingsley is a third-year Athletic Training Student and was assigned to Broussard Center for Athletic Training this semester.  She was lead rehabilitator on a shoulder reconstruction and was always willing to help other athletic trainers and their teams with anything they needed.   According to her supervisor Micki Collins, “Payton has been an outstanding student for us these past three years. She has really stepped up and been a huge help to every rotation this past semester.  She has been the glue that has held us together when all sports were in full motion.  I really hope the younger students were watching because she was an outstanding role model.”

Tiffani, a first-year student, worked with the Cross Country/ Track and Field team this year.  Even though she is a younger student, she has worked very hard to prove herself in the Athletic Training Room.  Keith Thompson, Head Athletic Trainer for Track and Field, had only positive things to say  about her.  “It was very rewarding to see Tiffani grow and mature as a first-year athletic training student.  In the clinical setting, Tiffani took charge of several rehabilitations; demonstrated attention to detail and diligence with daily facility tasks and documentation; and asked thoughtful, appropriate questions regarding patient injuries and treatment plans.  Josh, Regan, and I had a great group of students that worked with the Track & Field team this year. We are grateful for their efforts and pleased that they were recognized by the other Graduate Assistants and Staff members.”

Boston Hope

As many may already know, four members of our athletic training family were involved in the medical recovery efforts during the Boston Marathon.  Dr. Ray Castle, Derek Carter, Brendan Jacob, and Caitlyn McKinley were all providing first responder care at the race that day.  They are all currently back in classes/ work and are doing well getting back into their routines.  Their courage and dedication displayed that day will always be remembered and appreciated by us at LSU.  This traumatic event showed that athletic trainers may not only be taking care of torn ACL’s or heat cramps, but must be prepared for every emergency situation.  The LSU athletic trainers were very impressed with the Boston Athletic Association and how well they implemented their emergency action plan.  The collaboration between the Boston Athletic Association, marathon medical personnel, EMS, and local hospitals was seamless.  Without the teamwork of all of these groups, the number of casualties and major injuries would have been significantly larger.  We must look at this tragedy and search for the positives... and not hold on to the negatives.  We must use this opportunity to come together as a nation and be in continuous prayer and support all of those effected by its aftermath.  As a way of healing and to offer support, many of our student athletic trainers participated in a community effort to support Boston by running 2.62 miles in downtown Baton Rouge the weekend following the Boston Marathon. Thanks again to all those medical professionals working the race that day. 

Post-Grad Plans

The time has come once again for our graduating class of Certified Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainers to leave Baton Rouge and move all across the country to start their careers. Yuri Jean-Baptiste, who worked with Track and Field and Cross Country and soccer teams while at LSU, has already made the move to Chapel Hill, North Carolina where he is now working as a Staff Athletic Trainer for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels Football Program. Paul Porter, who gained experience with the Women and Men’s Tennis teams, will soon be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona where he has accepted the position as the athletic trainer for the Arizona Diamondbacks Minor League Baseball team. Derek Calvert, who worked with the Gymnastics and Football teams, will be working for Dr. Williams Myers, notable surgeon specializing in sports hernia repairs, at Vincera Core Physicians as a Certified Athletic Trainer in Philadelphia. Casey Maxwell, who worked with the Track and Field and Cross Country teams as well as Volleyball, will be moving to California to pursue athletic training opportunities on the west coast. Kate Goeler, Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for Women’s Soccer, Women’s Tennis, and Insurance Coordinator, leaves in mid June to begin an 11-month mission trip around the world called The World Race. We are so proud of what these Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainers have accomplished during their time here at LSU, grateful for all of their hard work and dedication, and excited to see what the future brings for them. Good luck!

A Change for the Better

One of our Staff Athletic Trainers, Micki Collins, who is currently the Athletic Trainer for LSU Women’s Basketball, recently attended the Southeastern Conference Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Opelika, AL.  Athletic training colleagues and friends from the SEC gather each year to discuss current case studies, meet with vendors to see the latest equipment and supplies used in the medical field as well as network with conference ATCs.  This year, Micki presented LSU's case studies, one being a student-athlete diagnosed with Guillan Barre Disease.  According to Micki, the SEC Sports Medicine Conference is a great place to meet up with her fellow Women’s Basketball Athletic Trainers to exchange ideas and see what other conference programs are doing with similar issues.  The meeting also serves as a forum to discuss improvements that can be made in areas such as concussion policies, host event coverage, as well as post season championship medical coverage.  "We reflect on the previous year and go over any challenges faced and improvements that can be made, Collins says.  Our Atletic Training Program was proud to have her represent Louisiana State University and look forward to another exciting year for athletic training!

Student of the Month

 

Congratulations to our student’s of the month, Jenna Nicol and Will Payne. Yes, that is correct, we have two students this month! Because both Jenna and Will have exemplified what it means to be a student athletic trainer, the staff was unable to pick just one. Jenna worked with the LSU Soccer team last year while Will was with the SEC Champion Football team. They joined forces under Jon Michelini at Baseball for this season. When asked about his students, Jon said, “they have both been exceptional this year. They consistently go above and beyond at baseball. They have taken over our daily core workout program that was started here due to an increase in back/core injuries. They have made a huge impact on these athletes. In addition, they also manage the daily arm care routines we have in place for the pitchers. They are proactive in their approach to athletic training and have helped me tremendously.” Jenna and Will have proven themselves to be standouts in the second year class and always encourage their classmates to strive for excellence in the clinic and in the classroom. Congratulations again Jenna and Will!

Work Hard. Sleep Hard.

2013 Boston Marathon

As many of you may already be aware, several members of our athletic training family were in Boston on Monday, April 15, 2013, serving as medical volunteers at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Dr. Ray Castle,  first year student Derek Carter, second year student Brendan Jacob, and third year student Caitlyn McKinley were among the first responders to the scene of the horrific tragedy that took place that afternoon. We are incredibly proud of all of their efforts, acting selflessly to help bring victims to safety. All four members of the team were unharmed and have returned home to Baton Rouge. For a full news story, please follow this link. We will have a full article to follow next month and appreciate your support of these courageous volunteers.

Caitlyn McKinley, Brendan Jacob, and Derek Carter with fellow athletic training student volunteers from James Madison University prior to the beginning of the Boston Marathon in medical tent A

The 9th Annual Spring Symposium: A Huge Success!

Symposium this year was a great success!  There were over 220 high school students from all around the state who attended this year.  We first had current and past LSU Football players Eric Reid, Chase Clement, Josh Dworaczyk, and Corey Webster speak to the students about the impact that athletic trainers had on their success in athletics and lives.  Head Football Athletic Trainer Jack Marucci and our Program Director Dr. Ray Castle also spoke to the students before they began the day's event.  Our first activity was to learn how to properly spine board an athlete, which was taught by several of our athletic training students.  A relay game followed, which incorporated spine-boarding skills, taping, filling up water bottles, and throwing a football.  After the relay game, the students rotated between groups where they learned various athletic training skills such as bracing, concussion assessment, ankle taping, and wound care.  After rotating through stations the students were given a tour of our Broussard Center for Athletic Training and of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.  The symposium concluded with lunch with an exciting nutrition talk from our Sports Nutritionist, Jamie Mascari, RD.   The 9th Annual Spring Symposium was a great experience for both the LSU Athletic Training Students and high school students and we look forward to next year!

To view more pictures from symposium, click here!

New Summer, New Opportunities

This summer we have eleven of our first and second year athletic training students participating in summer internships.  We have seven students who were accepted into profession football internships and two of which were females! Derionne Brooks was accepted to work with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tamaria Hollis with the Buffalo Bills. Trebrisa Thomas, another second year student, will be working with a first year student, Jazmine Wilson, at the Arizona Volleyball Festival.  Four other second years also have football internships; Will Payne who will be working with the Washington Redskins, Ben Morale and Meaghan Hussey working the LSU Football Operation Athletic Training Summer Internship, and Eddie Godoy who will be returning to work with the Arizona Cardinals.  We are also very proud of our first year students; Derek Carter who will be working with the Houston Texans and Keressa Ackles, Tiffani Frizzell, and Jazmine Wilson who will be working varsity cheer camps.  Our athletic training students have worked very hard this year and have shown their passion and dedication for athletic training.  We look forward to all of the many new learning opportunities they will be presented with this summer to grow as athletic trainers.  Congratulations LSU athletic training students!

Graduating with Graston

Here at LSU, we are always trying to stay at the forefront of the athletic training field. One of the ways we can do this is constantly searching for new and progressive ways to assist athletes in the rehabilitation of injures through both exercise and modalities. Recently, our second year students and several graduate assistants were given the opportunity to become module one certified in The Graston Technique®. This technique was developed by an athlete who was frustrated with current therapies following a debilitating knee injury and decided to create his own instruments to treat soft tissue injuries. Patented in 1994, The Graston Technique® is now used by more that 16,000 clinicians worldwide, and the athletic trainers at LSU are some of those clinicians. Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, LAT is certified in this technique and was able to provided education to our students to help further their clinical skills. Both the students and graduate assistants have been able to put this technique into practice at their clinical sites and have seen great results including faster healing times and alleviation of chronic injuries. Upon graduation, students will receive their module one certification. Keep up the great work!

Student of the Month

Congratulations to our March Student of the Month, Taylor Wright! Taylor is a first year student in our athletic training program origially from Lake Charles, Louisiana. This year, Taylor worked with the LSU football and proved to be a great addition to the athletic training team. Taylor has distinguished herself among her classmates and we all look forward to what she is able to accomplish in the future. When asked about Taylor, Derek Calvert, current graduate assistant with football, said “she has done a great job this year at football. Not only has she handled the responsibilities she has been given well, but she was able to design and implement a rehab this year and did a great job with it. Her strong work ethic has gained the respect of her peers early on. “ Great work and congratulations again Taylor!

High School Symposium is Just Around the Corner!

Our 9^th Annual High School Athletic Training Symposium is almost here!  It is on Wednesday, March 20 beginning at 9 am.  We are very excited about symposium this year and hope you are too! For all those attending symposium this year, be looking forward to the new changes and improvements that we have added to make symposium the best it can be.  Symposium will now take place in the football operations facility and will consist of a tour of our facilities, a t-shirt and lunch, and exciting games and relays, which will incorporate important athletic training skills.  We currently have 160 students signed up from 6 different schools around the area and we look forward to educating these future students of athletic training.  For more information go to http://lsusymposium.blogspot.com/ . 
See you at there!

SEATA Symposium 2013

Every year, the Southeast Athletic Trainer’s Association conducts a symposium for athletic training students. This year, two first-year students and five second-year students accompanied Dr. Ray Castle and Meghan Reid to the symposium in Atlanta, Georgia. Eduardo Godoy and Benjamin Morale were selected to give oral case study presentations and Meaghan Hussey and Tamaria Hollis presented their case studies via posters. These students were selected from a pool of applications by a selection committee and presented their case studies to their peers during the conference. First-year students participated in lectures about concussion assessment and diagnostic testing and labs involving core stability and emergency management. Second-year students received advice about career opportunities and writing a resume and gained hands on experience with joint mobilizations and kinesiotape in labs. Students were able to once again connect with peers from Quinnipiac University and compare educational programs. Great job students!

Legacy To Be Remembered

As some of you may know, Dr. Larry G. Ferachi passed away in October 2012. Dr. Ferachi served as one of our team Orthopedic Surgeons since 1996, working primarily with our Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs.  Many of us have fond memories of Larry but appreciate most the true friendships that developed during the time he spent with us. It was both an inspiring and difficult process to watch as Larry fought with all he had to beat his prostate cancer. However, it is likely true that Larry found an inner peace in his last few years that brought him closer to his family, friends, and God. For this we are all thankful.  In his will, he left the sum of $10,000 to the LSU Foundation “to be distributed to or for the benefit of the LSU Athletic Training Room”.  Given the terms of Dr. Ferachi’s will, these funds will go towards the Tiger Athletic Foundation’s Athletic Training Special Assistance Scholarship. This scholarship is used to assist our athletic training students and graduate assistants in times of hardship and need. These donations have helped our students as they recovered from disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Rita, assisted with applications to Graduate School, and paid for plane trips home when students were grieving the loss of a family member, just to name a few. In life, we are thankful for Dr. Ferachi’s service to our Athletic Training Department and it is quite fitting that he found a way to continue his support of our program even after his passing. Forever thankful and Forever LSU!

Student of the Month

Congratulations to our Student of the Month for February, Derionne Brooks! Derionne is a second-year athletic training student who is currently working with the LSU gymnastics team. Both this year at gymnastics and last year at LSU football, Derionne has proven to be a phenomenal asset to our athletic training program. She has shown her dedication both in the classroom and in the clinical setting. When asked about Derionne, Matt Gregg, Graduate Assistant with gymnastics said, “She has worked incredibly hard this season. She has stepped up and shown maturity when difficult situations presented themselves. I am confident she will be a successful athletic trainer in the future and look forward to see all that she is able to accomplish. ” We are so proud of you and how you represent our athletic training program. Congratulations Derionne!

Hustlin' for Haiti

This month, a few of our athletic training students participated in the Louisiana Half and Full Marathon.  However, the months of training were not only to get that medal at the end, but also to raise money for water filters in Haiti.  They used the marathon as a way to sell t-shirts titled “Hustlin’ for Haiti”.   They sold the shirts for $20 and all of the profits went directly towards providing clean water (water filters) to the people of Haiti.  As athletic trainers, hydration and clean water is an important part of our job but oftentimes we take for granted the luxury of clean water.  This fundraiser has provided an opportunity to raise awareness for the matter and save the thousands of lives that are being lost to water related illnesses.  We hope to continue raising money for this matter and would appreciate any prayer and support.  To help out you can visit hustinforhaiti.com or go like our facebook page “Hustlin’ for Haiti”. Ray Castle, our program director, and several of our athletic training students volunteered to provide medical support at the finish line and the primary medical tent area along with Baton Rouge General Medical Center nurses and physicians from the Baton Rouge General Sports Medicine Fellowship.  Congrats again marathoners!

Nuts about Nutrition

Student athletes are always on the go. Between, classes, tutors, and practice or competitions, sometimes the last thing they think about is packing a healthy lunch or snack before the run out the door in the morning. Fortunately for LSU student athletes, Jamie Mascari, LSU coordinator of sports nutrition, is dedicated to their healthy diet. Jamie is always available for one-on-one consultations and team nutrition presentations, but most of our student athletes visit her for another reason: their daily snack. Jamie's office is stocked full of tons of delicious, but more importantly, nutrtious snacks that are designed to give student athletes the fuel they need to make it through their day and their training schedules. The clear favorite of all of the snacks is Jamie's famous trail mix. She has created more than 20 orignial combinations of nuts and dried fruit that are sure to settle any hungry stomach. Jamie was recently interviewed by The Advocate discussing not only her trail mix, but also all of the different ways she helps student athletes consume the best diet they can. Jamie is one of our athletic department's greatest assest and we are so excited to see what the future will bring with all of our Tigers eating their optimal diet. The read the entire article, follow this link: http://theadvocate.com/features/food/4772388-123/eating-right-challenges-athletes

Oh Baby!

The new arrivals just keep on coming for our athletic training program! Micki Collins, associate athletic trainer with women’s basketball, gave birth to her second child on December 29^th. Gianna Annmarie was born five weeks early and unexpectedly delivered at home. That's right folks. Only Micki can delivery her own baby and direct EMS on what to do next!!! She weighed 5 pounds and 6 ounces and despite her early arrival, is perfectly healthy and doing well. Gia joins older brother Granger, who is now 4 years old, to make for one busy household for Micki and her husband Ken. In addition to primarily working with the women’s basketball team, Micki is the staff athletic trainer for the women’s tennis team and men and women’s swimming and diving. Micki also serves as the clinical coordinator for the athletic training academic program and teaches several classes. She is an invaluable reasource to our students and is always available for advising, both in athletic training and in life. We all miss you Micki and look  forward to your return!

Student of the Month

Congratulations to our January Student of the Month, Meaghan Hussey!  Meaghan Hussey is currently a second year in our athletic training program and the vice president of Alpha Tau Sigma.  Last year, she worked with Track and Field/ Cross Country and is now working with our Women’s Basketball team.  Since our staff athletic trainer for basketball, Micki Collins, has been on maternity leave, Meaghan has stepped up and has done a great job filling in.  When asked about Meaghan, Micki said, “I was pleased to hear that Meaghan received student of the month honors. Never in my 12 years have I felt a student was so deserving. She was without a doubt the "MVP" of LSU women's basketball this last month. While I was pregnant and then went on maternity leave unexpectantly early, she was phenomenal. She was well beyond her years and was consummate professional. She was the constant for the team while we transitioned to a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer. She provided an invaluable gift to me to be able to go be with my family without worry, which is hard to come by in our profession.” Meaghan has always and is still doing a great job and we are very proud of her.  Congrats again Meaghan!