From teaching future trainers to preparing for the year's numerous sports seasons, head athletic trainer Adam Kokenzie is always busy. Adam has spent the last six years at Carroll working with all types of athletes, managing and preventing injuries as well as keeping them healthy. But this year looks a little different amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Donning PPE and revamping how they help student athletes, Adam and his department help make sure all of Carroll’s athletes are ready to play.
I HAVE BEEN… athletic trainer full time for eight years. This is my sixth full year at Carroll ISD. I decided to become an athletic trainer because I was an athlete in high school and built a great relationship with the athletic trainer at my school following a broken hand. We still keep in touch to this day.
TO BECOME AN… athletic trainer, you must have a master’s degree from a qualified program. It is a two-year master’s degree and requires a similar curriculum as other exercise science professions. It also requires internship hours throughout the semester with different locations to rotate around. The hours athletic trainers put in, especially at the collegiate level, are quite a lot. It is a grind that will push you but doable. You have to love what you do.
I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR… injury recognition, injury management and prevention of injury for Carroll ISD athletics. I have two other colleagues, Kyle Fisher and Megan Ervin, who are also athletic trainers for the district. Collectively we work together to ensure that our athletes are handled with the best care to continue doing what they love.
ANYTIME THERE IS… an event or practice, we make sure that one of our three athletic trainers are near with a first-aid kit, splint bag and [an automated external defibrillator] at all times.
WHILE EVERYONE SEES… the rehabilitations, injury management, practice coverage and game coverage, I spend most of my time doing administrative things: Paperwork, schedules, provide information to my after-school program, and I still teach a class.
YOU NEVER WANT... to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately it’s a part of the gig. There are occasional situations that I carry home with me. You do your best to be prepared for every scenario both good and bad but we are still human too.
I THINK EVERY… high school athletic trainer in Texas would agree that the job is harder in spring, February and March specifically. Every sport except football and volleyball are going. Dragons like to keep winning, which makes our seasons longer. But we love to see it.
WE PREPARE BY... making sure we have a good idea of the at-risk athletes first and foremost. [We] also make sure all our supplies are in working order and that we have enough of everything.
[COVID-19] HAS AFFECTED US… tremendously. Thankfully our biggest obstacle this time of year is the heat, and we got to miss August. We are a very hands-on profession, and now we can’t be. We have had to adjust [the] number of athletes we can see at a time and completely revamp our methods for hydration, evaluation and rehab. It makes it very difficult, but we are using all the methods of PPE and keeping a clean facility in order to combat this. It just takes a little extra effort on our side to ensure the athlete is treated with proper care. It’s not uncommon to have a full training room doing rehab at once and now we have to consider space for everyone.
I RUN AN… after-school program with the hardest working kids in the area. They are on the sidelines with me during games and practices and are 20 extra sets of eyes and hands to ensure our athletes stay safe. You can follow them and our program @dragonsportsmed on Twitter.
TAPING, BRACING… first aid, some treatments and hydration are the main things [Dragon Sports Med students] freely do. We teach how to splint some fractures and how to recognize some injuries. We teach how to do some of the special tests. They are an extension of us and the kids like to learn what we are doing. Many of them have an interest [in] medicine, nursing, physical therapy or something in the medical umbrella, and this is as hands on as it gets to a precursor of those professions.