By Erik T. Masingill ’12
THE ROUNDUP

Whether the sport is football, baseball, soccer, track, lacrosse, tennis, basketball or anything else, the Sports Medicine squad is there to help and prepare.

Sports Medicine is a Physical Education elective class during seventh and after school taught by athletic trainer Mr. Chris White.

There is also a Sports Medicine club that involves more work outside of the class.

Mr. White has led Sports Medicine for 26 years at Brophy after beginning in 1986.

“Sports Medicine is a huge umbrella term for a lot of things,” Mr. White said. “… There are different areas we work in. We work in prevention. That’s one element. First aid and immediate care. That’s another element. Assessment, evaluations and then treatment and rehabilitation.”

Mr. White said that the Sports Medicine students are following Brophy’s motto of “Men for Others.”

“First and foremost, it’s a service organization,” he said. “They’re helping get the teams ready every day. They are helping prepare teams for practice. They are also helping to cover the events.”

Senior Jared Kelly ’12 has been involved in Sports Medicine ever since the second semester of his freshman year and has worked football games since his sophomore year.

He is considered one of Mr. White’s “veterans” of sports medicine. The veterans of the club handle the bigger events, such as the football games, where they begin working at 3 p.m. and often end at about 10:30 p.m.

Mr. White uses the title “humble competent servants” when referring to his veterans.

Kelly said his participation in Sports Medicine has made a big impact on his life.

“It gives me a deeper understanding for medicine, and a deeper respect,” he said.

Kelly also said that he has many duties as a member of Sports Medicine.

“I do things like stocking, taping tables and cabinets, cleaning the Sports Medicine room and filling up water for any type of practice or game,” he said. “I’m also given a list of skills, or competencies as we call them, that we have to learn in each quarter.”

“We use the skills and knowledge that we’ve learned in the class to fulfill our main role, which is the prevention of injury and care of athletes,” he added.

Mr. White said that they do not get much recognition, but still perform their jobs well.

“We don’t get the glory, we don’t get the prizes, trophies, but we are keeping athletes healthy providing water and doing everything for them,” he said. “It’s a service organization. I want my students to understand and know that and feel good about that.”

Mr. White also said that involvement in Sports Medicine can possibly lead to a career in the health care industry.