(Peru, Neb.) – The National Athletic Training (AT) Month is held every March in order to spread awareness about the important work of athletic trainers.
 
Peru State is fortunate to have the services of five athletic trainers – three of whom are full-time, one is a graduate assistant, and one is a part-time employee.
 
Brent Melvin is the head athletic trainer and supervises Vickie Sheley, Kimberly Behrends, Alex Edelman, and Alex Schnitzer. Sheley and Behrends are the full-time employees while Edelman is a graduate assistant. Schnitzer provides part-time assistance as needed.
 
Melvin has been at Peru State for 14 years while Sheley has worked fulltime for the College for 12 years. Behrends, Edelman, and Schnitzer all are in their first year in the Bobcat athletic department.
 
The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) slogan for 2020 is "AT's Impact Health Care Through Action."  
NATA's vision is "Athletic trainers will be globally recognized as vital practitioners in the delivery and advancement of health care. Through passionate provision of unique services, athletic trainers will be an integral part of the inter-professional health care team."
 
Athletic trainers are licensed/certified experts who work to prevent and treat musculoskeletal injuries and sports-related illnesses while offering an unparalleled continuum of care. AT's are part of a team of health care professionals; they practice under the direction of and in collaboration with physicians. Peru State works with Nebraska Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine, PC, as well as, area health care providers.
 
As part of their work, athletic trainers deal with individuals who are physically active or involved in sports participation through all stages of life to prevent, treat, and rehabilitate injuries and medical conditions. AT's should not be confused with personal trainers or "trainers" who focus solely on fitness and conditioning.
 
Sports injuries can be severe. Brain and spinal cord injuries and conditions such as heat illness can be life-threatening if not recognized and properly managed. Educational training for ATs allows them to treat acute injuries on the spot. Athletic Trainers mitigate risk for school administrators, athletic directors, and coaches who have their jobs, which could pose a conflict of interest with athlete safety. They are not experts in managing injuries or sport-related illnesses, nor should they be responsible for doing so. Treating injuries at school or at work, rather than sending the patient to the emergency department, saves money and time loss and gets the patient back to activity faster.
 
Peru State would like to recognize its athletic trainers and our partners for all their hard work in taking care of the Bobcat student-athletes. Bobcat associate athletic director Ted L. Harshbarger, who supervises the athletic training department, is very appreciative of the effort by the athletic trainers. Harshbarger stated, "Brent and Vickie have been with the department for quite some time and are true professionals. They are excellent role models for our newcomers, Kimberly and Alex, who are also doing an excellent job with our student-athletes."