The news site of Glenbrook South High School.

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The news site of Glenbrook South High School.

The Oracle

The news site of Glenbrook South High School.

The Oracle

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Athletic trainers bring athletes to top shape

With the number of contact sports South has to offer, athletes are prone to minor, or in some cases, major injuries. For that, they make their way to the red track below the gym, where, found behind a very discrete door, lies something that all of South athletics can be proud of: the athletic training room and its staff.

Led by Brian Robinson, head athletic trainer, students are offered a very wide range of rehabilitation programs and exercises. According to Robinson, he has really seen the training program evolve since his first days at Glenbrook South 35 years ago, when he started as one of the first locals in the sports medicine business.

“I was the first full time athletic trainer in the state of Illinois […] I really enjoyed the idea of building a program, because the original training room was a closet,” Robinson said. “[Since the expansion after the construction of the field house] the number of people we were able to help during the day went up drastically.”

Robinson explained that although students comprise the majority of people they see during the day, he encourages faculty and staff to come down to the training room if they have any questions regarding their own physique.

One of these teachers includes Mary Vicars, social studies teacher. Vicars struggled with a shoulder injury last year, but she credits Robinson for a full recovery due to his great care and devotion to her.

“[What he did] was above and beyond,” Vicars said. “Brian was really interested in getting me [fully recovered], and if I’m better, I don’t have to call in sick, which helps me to do my job better. He has a great personality; he knows the kids and he gets the job done.”

Student athletes also speak highly of the athletic trainers. Sully Stadler, senior football and baseball player, explained that the trainers did a good job making sure he recovered as quickly as possible.

“I think they are good at telling you what’s wrong with your body, so you can [make adjustments] quickly and modify things like icing and heating [in order to get back to the field as soon as possible],” Stadler said.

Robinson does not get all of the praise alone, as he has had two assistants working with him for 7 years: Amanda Anderson and Tony Catsaros.

“I think we do very well together,” Catsaros said. “Brian [has set up a great program here]. It’s very comprehensive with him being able to network with physicians and being able to talk to doctors in the area. With him being involved with [a lot of stuff], Amanda and I have learned to work very well together.”

Anderson adds that the three of them all add something to the program.

“I think it’s a good working group,” Anderson said. “I do think that we are lucky to have Brian and Tony and myself, because it gives different dynamics [and lets the kids figure out] who they like to work with.”

The majority of injuries the athletic trainers see are minor strains and pulls. However, concussions play a big role in the injuries of athletes. For that, the GBS athletic trainers developed the “Impact Test” which measures all normal brain functions. Catsaros explains that the process, itself, is very comprehensive.

“It is an ever-evolving injury, [including research and data],” Catsaros said. “We are very fortunate here to get into the neurocognitive testing. It has been [a great] tool for us to get a better objective measure of how someone is functioning.”

Perhaps the key behind making the athletic training program operate the way it does, according to Robinson, is the mutual understanding between trainers and athletes. He said the greatest joy from his job is to know that the athletes know that he cares.

“The biggest thing is respect,” Robinson said. “I like working with kids and helping kids do their best. I get a lot of satisfaction from [the initial injury], taking care of the kid and through the weeks and months or whatever it takes, to get them back on the field so they can do what they love.”

 

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