During football games, spectators typically view the players and coaches. These are the two parts that make a football team successful right? What about the teams behind the football team? One of those teams is the sports medicine department.

The Sports Medicine Department’s primary responsibility is to provide the upmost care to student athletes. Nikolas Turner, assistant athletic trainer, says that this department provides care for injuries, distributes general medication, and helps with any medical condition.

“Our job is to evaluate and diagnose what is going on and, if not treat [them], refer athletes to our team of physicians or other types of doctors that they need to be referred to,” said Turner.

Turner’s responsibility is to handle the “day to day” [athletes], which includes treating injuries and administering rehabilitation to athletes. Turner and his intern work together ensuring football players stay healthy and to get back on the field. This is a two-way street.

While Turner may be able to identify if a player is not up to par, it is also the responsibility of the player to seek Turner if they are hurt, sick or do not feel well for any reason at all.

A member of a staff of 11, Turner, a 12-month employee, one intern and nine student volunteers, one of who is an athletic trainer enrolled in the master’s program at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. The group is also assigned to A&T, working during the season and off-season to assist athletes. Although injuries are more prevalent during the season, injuries occur during the off-season as well.

At times, players call Turner when off the clock for assistance. Turner recalls an incident when he waited at the hospital for eight hours as an athlete underwent emergency surgery.

Is that his responsibility? In Turner’s opinion, it is.

“Do I necessarily have to be there?” said Turner. “No, but is a parent going to feel more comfortable with the person taking care of them and sees them on a regular basis there? Yes. So to me, it is my responsibility as a head football athletic trainer, if not my intern, to be with them at all times to make sure everything is okay.”

Being assured that medical bills are covered can provide an athlete and his parents a sense of security. Turner says that if an athlete suffers from a football related injury, the sports medicine department covers the remainder of the bill, after their primary insurance covers its percentage with its secondary insurance money received from outside resources.

 “We are really the glue that keeps all of athletics and all of the student athletes together, to be honest,” said Turner. “Athletics wouldn’t be what it is or wouldn’t be able to function or win championships without us.”

Without the sports medicine department, Turner says, players will not have success.

“Strength coaches do a great job and that is one part of it, but we deal with all the break down,” said Turner. “You can go to a physical therapist, you can go to doctors, but if there’s nobody there on a day to day basis following up, treating every single day and on a regular basis, to me, it won’t work.”

Ronald Canty, a redshirt junior offensive lineman by way of Chester, S.C., agrees.

“Without this department… I wouldn’t be able to play at a high level in games or practice,” said Canty.

During this year’s game against Hampton, Canty suffered a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for two weeks. During the game, Canty was blocking a player. When the Hampton defensive lineman tried to make a play, he fell on Canty’s ankle. He claims he would not be as healthy as he is without the help, in part, of the sports medicine department.

Canty believes that the sports medicine department benefits all athletes because healthcare is easily accessible. He also stated that athletes have relationships with both the sports medicine and strength and conditioning departments.

“We know that regardless of the situation, they will go above and beyond the call of duty for all athletes.”

Treating between 100 and 250 athletic injuries per year, Turner says the keys to maintaining healthy athletes and nursing injured ones back to health are education and communication. This process involves the athletes, coaches and staff. Staff should be educated on the courses of action and how the department operates.

Each staff member goes through an orientation process where they are educated on the do’s and don’ts, what are expected of them and what their responsibilities are. Players and coached are educated on what needs to be done and why, as well as, maintaining a healthy diet to prevent dehydration and increase their performance on the field.

The communication component is making one another aware. They all must work together to make sure players are injury and illness free to perform week in and week out. It also involves letting all parties know about the diagnoses of an injury and progress toward recovery.

“It is a big deal to communicate,” said Turner. “And that is something I have learned through my experience as an athletic trainer in this department.”

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• Kimberly Fields, Register Reporter