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Gather round the campfire kiddos, we're going to have us a wee chat about why this tweet is very important, and not being discussed nearly enough. 1/x https://twitter.com/BobbyMadden20/status/1300867125242978304
First, the obvious: lots of folks are having to learn how to work in their respective industries using tools, and in ways, that weren't in play before. I don't know any teachers who were like "I got into teaching in order to engage with children in a small square on a screen". 2/
I don't know anyone who works in retail who is like "I would love to engage with customers from behind a hazmat shield" or weather people who are like "here's a low pressure system on my green screen couch" 3/
So it's OK for all of us who are fortunate to be employed to struggle with how to do our jobs in new or restrictive ways.
So let me talk to the athletic trainers and sports medicine professionals for a minute.
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So let me talk to the athletic trainers and sports medicine professionals for a minute.
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I know that we are used to getting the short end of the stick in many ways. I lost count of how many personal appointments I had to change because coach decided to switch afternoon practice to the morning without any concern for how it affected my day.
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And sometimes we get to the point where we just shrug and say, well, I guess I'll just go with the flow. It is what it is. Trying to change the system seems like a sisyphean task, and we wonder what we as one person can do.
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Well WELCOME TO THE PARTY because this is a situation that needs what you know. What you are trained for. What you do really freaking well. Your teams, your organizations, your clinics NEED YOUR CREATIVITY.
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Right now, there are athletic directors who need you to be the medical professional you trained to be. You don't have to be a virologist/epidemiologist (Lord knows some of the internet doctors aren't either but it doesn't stop them from spouting bollocks)
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There are high school districts who have been dismissive of hiring full time ATs who are desperate for someone to help them think through these things. There are clinics and orgs that have not previously acknowledged the value that athletic trainers add to the team. 9/
Colleges that have grossly overpaid strength coaches and drastically underpaid medical professionals are having their realities challenged and there has NEVER been a better time for ATs to step forward assertively and say "I CAN HELP". 10/
In some cases, you may be the ONLY person on staff or in the team who is qualified to bring your perspective. Leverage that. Anyone who understands sports knows that if you don't have an AT, you shouldn't have sports. Well, now some deniers are being faced with the truth 11/
Are you at a college/uni? Make an appointment with the Athletic Director or administration. At a high school? Walk your qualified butt into the AD or District office with a plan.
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You inserting yourself into this conversation is VITALLY important for a number of reasons.
1. They're going to make a plan. That plan may suck. If you didn't claim a seat at the table, you will have to deal with the aforementioned sucky plan.
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1. They're going to make a plan. That plan may suck. If you didn't claim a seat at the table, you will have to deal with the aforementioned sucky plan.
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2. They may come up with a plan that puts legal responsibilities on you that you have NO BUSINESS assuming. That is much easier to prevent from happening than it is to reverse once decided upon, and trust me, you want to do whatever you can to not be named in COVID suits.
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3. You have the best perspective on health/safety of your athletes. You may know them better than the coaches, and coaches sure as hell don't know health and safety better than you do. You're fighting for them as much as for yourself and everyone who comes in contact w/ you.
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I know you didn't get trained to deal with COVID, or any pandemic really. But you did work your arses off and pass one of the hardest board exams in the country and people need to know WHAT YOU KNOW. Even if you are just asking the question, "hey what if..."
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People ask me all the time about liability for ATs and it's OK that I don't have all the answers. This isn't a situation where a usual waiver covers bases because you aren't just waiving your ACL or even concussions, you're talking about a pandemic. People are dying. 17/
How can you waive the safety of whoever lives at home with you? (Hint, you can't). How can you justify forcing athletes to sign what amount to contracts of adhesion because they don't have any bargaining rights? 18/
But even with all the unknowns that change week to week, athletic trainers are qualified, licensed health care professionals. You bring so much knowledge to the table and I want to see you leverage it, not only for your benefits but for the safety of athletes and patients.
/fin
/fin
Anyway, lemme go walk this off and then get my whisky but in the mean time, listen to the whole series of podcasts I do with @MrsAMPennington for @theATvantage.
