ATSU Athletic Training Student Association Update
Posted: June 13, 2017
ATSU Athletic Training Student Association update
The Athletic Training Student Association has had another eventful academic year in 2016-17. We welcomed six new members to the organization with the addition of the class of 2018. Two of these incoming members served on the executive board and helped to share responsibilities with the returning members.
We are already looking forward to their future contributions to the association next year! Over the course of this year, the association fulfilled its service-oriented goals by participating in a number of events at the University and within the local community.
The intention of ATSA has been to make a meaningful impact on those individuals who were served by its efforts.
Mesa Parks community outreach
Mesa Parks has continued to be the primary outlet for ATSA’s community outreach initiatives. Over the course of the 2016-17 academic year, ATSA members represented ATSU Athletic Training at nine Mesa Parks events. ATSA members volunteered at coaches training jamborees for youth sports including soccer, flag football, basketball, and volleyball.
Youth athletes were taught proper body mechanics within their specific sports with sideline drills and demonstrations. ATSA members presented educational programming to coaches on injury prevention, concussion management, and athlete safety at the fall and winter volunteer coaches training sessions.
ATSA also promoted Athletic Training and ATSU at the season kick-off events and at the fall and spring youth program celebrations, reaching over 8,000 attendees. Our friends at Mesa Parks make ATSA’s commitment to community outreach possible.
Day for Special Smiles
The annual Day for Special Smiles is an opportunity for underserved individuals with special needs to come to ATSU’s Arizona campus and receive free dental and general wellness screenings. Students from ATSA volunteered their time to provide neuromuscular screens throughout the day.
This was a great opportunity for athletic training students to work side-by-side with students from other disciplines, and help increase awareness of the profession of athletic training.
This year, 61 patients received over $21,000 of dental treatment free of cost, many of whom do not receive regular dental care.
Hearing Loss Association of America 5K Walk
The HLAA 5K walk was a highlight for ATSA regarding interprofessional collaboration. ATSU athletic training and audiology students and Grand Canyon University athletic training students came together to volunteer with the Arizona Athletic Trainers’ Association to provide medical coverage for the first HLAA 5k Walk in Mesa.
ATSA members coordinated medical services for the walk along the 3-mile course. Working closely with audiology students was a rewarding experience and helped to not only promote both professions, but also fostered great interprofessional relationships, which we look forward to continuing to build.
The walk raised over $40,000 for the HLAA of Arizona.
High School Workshop
As part of Athletic Training Month in March, the Athletic Training program hosted its annual ATSA High School Workshop, offering various learning labs to over 100 students from high school sports medicine programs from across the state of Arizona. Programming this year focused on the lower extremity, and sessions included a virtual anatomy lab, splinting and spine boarding, rehabilitation, and taping. At the end of the day, the student programs were gathered to compete in a quiz bowl.
Thanks to all of the ATSA members and high school sports medicine programs, the High School Workshop was once again a great success!
Team of Physicians for Students (TOPS) physicals
This year, ATSU began a partnership with TOPS to provide free comprehensive pre-participation physical examinations to high school and college athletes. These physicals include comprehensive sports physicals and EKG testing for all athletes, all at no charge.
Students from ATSA volunteered as supervising clinicians during the high school sports pre-participation physical examinations at Sunnyslope High School on April 1. Throughout the day, ATSA members supervised and guided evaluations, working with medical students from ATSU, University of Arizona, and Midwestern University.
ATSA members also volunteered in the heart and lung sounds and EKG stations. This interprofessional event was a great opportunity for athletic training students to interact and work side by side with medical students.
Over 1,400 physicals were completed during the Saturday event.
