INDEPENDENCE, Kan. - The month of March is National Athletic Training Month, and Independence Athletics would like to highlight our two remarkable Athletic Trainers, Anthony Vidali & Samantha Quay for their continued dedication to ICC Athletics.
National Athletic Training month is celebrated yearly in order to spread awareness about the ongoing, important work of athletic trainers around the country.
Anthony Vidali, head Athletic Trainer at ICC, has maintained national certification, and state licensing in athletic training since 2016, the same year he graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training degree. During his time with KU, Vidali received incredible hands-on experience, working with KU Athletics, along with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL), and Sporting Kansas City, the major league soccer (MLS) club. Vidali also went on to pursue a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Oklahoma State University, that he completed in 2019.
Samantha Quay, the Assistant Athletic Trainer here at ICC, has been an athletic trainer since 2017. She received a Bachelor's degree in Athletic Training from Lock Haven University and a Master’s degree in Health and Human Performance from Pittsburgh State University. Her love for the athletic training world really took off after she completed Dr. Jean Reed’s Intro to Sports Medicine class, which springboarded her to begin working with her high school's athletic trainer where she received a wealth of experience. Quay leaned on her athletic experience of playing volleyball and rugby, to help her realize that athletic training was right for her. Quay was excited to call Independence home, as she was able to get back into the world of athletics and also was able to teach AT and HHPR courses as an adjunct professor.
The work of both Vidali and Quay, goes way beyond just taping ankles and handing out water. The work begins before athletes even step foot on campus, as they work hard to gather pre-participation physicals and a thorough medical history of each athlete at ICC. From there, they work closely with not only the athletes but the coaches as well, as they form plans for the coming year, with a strong focus on injury prevention. The work isn’t just treating the injury once it has already happened, as Quay states, “We spend a lot of time with coaches and players, discussing possible injury trends, working on pre-injury exercise programs, and helping to correct things like poor biomechanics, weight-lifting form, running form, etc.”.
They even take it a step further, by discussing with athletes the importance of nutrition, hydration practices, and sleep hygiene to help meet the high demands on the body that comes with collegiate athletics.
Athletic training comes with a set of challenges, primarily time management for Vidali and Quay. “The true struggle of a healthcare provider is there are not enough hours in the day to help everyone, so we must provide the best care possible with the time we are given,” says Vidali. On top of that, the life of an athletic trainer isn't your typical hourly work schedule. They must be flexible, as the schedules of the athletes they care for are ever changing as well. Athletic trainers, just like many of the athletes and coaches participating on game day, must be here well before the event begins to care for athletes, along with hours after the event to help with any post game care. Their dedication to athletics is just as high if not higher than anyone else involved in any athletic program, as they work with every single athlete across the five collegiate sports here at Indy. “Most people don't realize just how much time we spend caring for our athletes in one way or another,” says Quay.
On the flip side, there is such a strong element of reward that comes with being an athletic trainer, it really is an incredible feeling for Vidali and Quay to see an athlete they have spent so much time caring for, to get back to competition. Vidali states, one of the most rewarding parts of being an athletic trainer is “When an athlete who couldn't move their leg 9 months ago and thought they would never play their sport again, is now running full sprints with a smile on their face.”
The rehabilitation process can sometimes take up to 12 months, and even the smallest of victories mean so much to the duo of athlete and trainer.
Aside from the rehabilitation victories, the relationships that Vidali and Quay form with the athletes is another rewarding part of the job. At a junior college many athletes go on and continue to compete at the four year level, and athletic trainers love having those conversations with athletes and often maintain that relationship throughout the athlete’s collegiate careers.
One of, if not the most important aspect when it comes to advocating for athletic training, is recognizing them for what they are, healthcare professionals. They must pass a national exam, similar to that of a nurse or a PT. They are required to complete continual training in order to keep their licensing and certification active, so they are continually practicing their craft. “We have extensive anatomical knowledge and are trained to evaluate and diagnose injuries and illness”, says Quay, “We are also trained first responders, ready to manage emergency scenarios on or off the athletic field.”
Currently the state of Florida is trying to pass a bill to remove the Board of Athletic Training, and without the board, AT’s would lose guidance and oversight for their scope of practice. The board plays a crucial role in ensuring that AT’s are nationally certified, have passed a background check, have graduated from a CAATE accredited institution and are CPR certified. “As athletic trainers, we need the world's help in recognizing us as healthcare professionals,” says Vidali, “the safety of athletes is in our hands.”
Athletic Trainers are utilized much more than just in the realm of athletics. Athletic trainers are employed at hospitals, in warehouses, performing arts, military, fire and police personnel, anywhere where there are physically active people present.
Athletic Trainers are such a big part of athletic programs across the country and the healthcare world overall. They bring so much skill and expertise to their field, as they help athletes all over the country perform at their highest level. At the end of the day, they do so much more than just tape ankles and fill up water bottles, and we are so grateful for Anthony and Samantha’s continued dedication to Independence Athletics, and the world of healthcare.