October 2, 2003

SPORTS

The Norwich Guidon

Athletic trainers treat variety of sports injuries

The fall season is the busiest time of the year

By Kevin Schieve
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

The training room in Andrews Hall is operating at a frantic pace, as many athletes from fall sports are being treated for various injuries, according to training room staff members.

Head athletic trainer Dave Botelho oversees the entire training room operation and attests to the high tempo and busy conditions that his staff must endure during the fall.

"With the football team of about 115 athletes, combined with men's and women's rugby and soccer, the fall is definitely our busiest time," Botelho said.

Working with Botelho are two assistant trainers, Rachael Sutherland and Meagan Bress.

Also helping are student trainers from Norwich's sports medicine program, who are all under pressure to keep the training room running smoothly.

"It gets crazy down there during this time of the year, but with the amount of experience in there, nobody misses a beat," said student trainer Aaron Lee, 23, a senior sports medicine major from Napanee, Ontario.

Football and rugby players frequent the training room more often than athletes in other sports for the purpose of getting "taped up" to prevent injury, as well as for common injuries because of the nature of their games," Botelho said.

Sprained ankles, knee injuries and bruises are dealt with often and are common, "because they are collision sports," Botelho explained.

Football player Josh Creighton, 22, a senior communications major, from Scituate, Mass said the training room has "a very professional atmosphere with very well knowledgeable staff who make sure every athlete is taken care of."

Because of the attentive care players get from the trainers, Norwich athletes are grateful to have the training room and its staff.

"I would rate the training room a 10; I think they do a great job. If we, as athletes, didn't have a facility like that, it would be awful," said two-sport varsity athlete C.J. Daley, 22, a senior history major from Orange, Calif.

The Norwich Guidon is a twice-monthly student newspaper distributed at Norwich University. It provides laboratory experience for students in the Communications program. Claims asserted by letter writers, editorials and other articles do not represent the positions of Norwich University. The Norwich Guidon welcomes signed letters to the editor. They should be no longer than 300 words. Unsigned letters will not be printed, but names may be withheld upon worthy request. All letters are subject to editing for length and good taste. Mailing address: The Norwich Guidon, Communications Center, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 056632. www.norwich.edu/guidon. If you have any questions or comments about the paper, please contact Professor Ken Bush at kbush@norwich.edu.