For many, the highlight of their high school experience is sports. Whether you are an athlete, cheerleader, coach or someone cheering from the sidelines, sports help make many people’s high school years worthwhile. But who is behind the scenes of the wins and losses? What happens when an athlete gets hurt during a game or has to leave the field because they don’t feel well? Who is there to help? 

That’s where Wakefield’s sports medicine team comes to the rescue.

Brent Dorenkamp, sports medicine teacher and club advisor highlights the important aspects of the club.

“Every athlete wants to know that they’re safe, every sport wants to know that they are supported. Athletes know that [the sports medicine trainers] are not getting paid, they’re not getting to wear a jersey and getting recognized at homecoming games,” Dorenkamp said. “I think it means something to athletes to know that these people are in it for all the right reasons, which is for the healthcare of the athletes.”

For students interested in going into any medical field, the sports medicine club would be a perfect place to start. These student trainers do so much more than what we may see but it is an important experience for so many students.

“Sports medicine has definitely prepared me for going down the pre-medical route by teaching me several injury treatment methods, anatomy, as well as being a team player, responsibility, time management and having a tough work ethic,” president of the sports medicine club, Mia Bacheler said. “These values will set me up for nothing but success down the line.”

The sports medicine team is just as important as any other team at WHS. This program gives students who may not be able to play sports the opportunity to feel involved in the athletic community, as well as allowing all students to get involved at school. 

Courtney Wainio is a physical education teacher and head swim coach at WHS. She echoes the importance of having student trainers at the school.

“The connection that sports medicine creates for some students is invaluable. Whether a student is an athlete, or just enjoys being a part of [the] sports [community], they can be equally as important to the athletic program. Student trainers are needed and should feel valued in their efforts with all sports programs.”

The sports medicine club is a hidden gem, you may not know how much you enjoy being a part of it until you try.

“I think everybody comes to high school [and] looks for something to belong to, and usually it’s sports, arts or just a regular club,” Dorenkamp said. “A lot of people don’t know that we’re here and what we do [but] I think they’ll find what they’re looking for when they actually are part of the program.”

Many athletes at WHS have worked alongside the sports medicine program which has helped them get back on the field, and without them, they may not have been able to. Both the student-athlete and student-trainer benefit from these formed connections.

“This club has allowed me to connect with a lot of people that I wouldn’t normally talk to if I wasn’t involved with the club,” Maya Umozurike, vice president of the sports medicine Club, said. “A lot of people come in and out of the room, [including] athletes from different social groups that I don’t usually interact with, so it’s nice to meet people that are outside of my bubble.”

This program is crucial to the lives of so many people at WHS and the coaches could not be more thankful for the student trainers.

“The sports medicine program is a big part of WHS.  Not just for our athletes alone, but for many of our staff and students,” Wainio said. “Injuries and accidents can happen in other areas of the building and the expertise of the sports medicine department is often relied on. We are fortunate to have such a solid group of people leading and working in the sports medicine department at Wakefield.”