At Olympia High School, athletic trainers are some of the most overlooked individuals when it comes to sports. There is a stereotype of athletic trainers, that they just socialize with the athletes, or are just water girls. There is a misconception with the stereotype that they don’t do much for the team and that is simply not true. 

If the stereotype is not true then what do athletic trainers do? “We learn how to assess and treat an athlete’s injuries. Sometimes, we give them exercises to do based on their injury and stuff they could do at home to help,” Paula Caubrerra, a junior athletic trainer, said. Athletic trainers not only help the athletes at Olympia High School stay hydrated but also assist when they are injured. 

In addition to this, football season is one of the biggest seasons for the Titan athletic trainers. The pressure is high for athletes to perform with large crowds watching, and the athletes have all their attention on the game. With football being so intense it is also intense for athletic trainers. Having to watch the game and the players to make sure everything is going well. “The most frightening thing is when during a football game the players run on the sidelines or come crashing down from a tackle,” Brianna Hanchell, a junior athletic trainer, said. Football is a very physical sport with overall pressure no matter if you’re on the field or not. 

Football isn’t the only sport athletic trainers work in. They are there for sports like volleyball, basketball, and soccer. “My favorite sport to work in is volleyball because I understand how it’s played, making it more enjoyable,” Brianna Mercado, a junior athletic trainer, said.

 Given these points, athletic trainers are an essential part of the Olympia Athletics program. Even though it seems they are just water girls, there is more to the job than the stereotype of assisting with athlete’s hydration.