Sophomore Paola Roberts fills up a metal tub with ice water and watches senior baseball player Corey Murray struggle in and begin to shiver. As a school athletic trainer, Roberts always wants to help out and do whatever she can to contribute to the current sport she works as a trainer for.
“I became a trainer because I really want to be a physical trainer when I’m older,” said Roberts. “It’ll give me some experience and it gives me joy to help people.”
Throughout middle school, Roberts played basketball and participated in cross country and track. She has also golfed her entire life. When Roberts came to Legacy she was forced to quit all of those sports, but she feels it will be worth it in the long run.
“Training takes up even more time than a sport, because we have to get there a little earlier and stay after sometimes too,” said Roberts. “When you’re a trainer you can’t play any other sports.”
In her two years as a trainer, Roberts has helped out in softball, baseball, track and football. Football requires every trainer because so many athletes participate in the sport. All other sports in the winter and spring require only two or three trainers for each team, so they are called the trainers’ secondary sports.
“Football is definitely my favorite sport to train for,” said Roberts. “I grew up always watching the Cowboys and the Broncos with my dad.”
The responsibilities of a trainer entail getting water, wrapping ankles or wrists, stretching players and facilitating ice baths to sore or injured athletes. While their sport is in season, the trainers always have something to do during practice, and even come early or stay late to help out the team.
“I really don’t get free time between training and homework,” said Roberts. “It does help me meet a lot of new people, and I really like that.”
