Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and Texas Children’s Hospital have teamed up to spotlight student training squads in the Houston and Austin markets. These talented and dedicated young folks are working hard behind the scenes to help their athletes to be their very best when the lights turn on. Each week we’ll focus on a different group of Student Training Superstars in what will be an annual tradition.
CLICK HERE for an archived look at the Texas Children's Training Staff Superstars Award!
2024
RIDGE POINT HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Recently, the main focus of the Ridge Point Sports Medicine (RPSM) program has been to encourage coaches to implement more preventive exercises to assist with the reduction of injuries during the long seasons.
- The RPSM staff over the fourteen years has had the opportunity to represent its athletic programs in ten team state tournament appearances along with state appearances from individual sports (track and swimming) as well.
- The combined years of experience for the RPSM program's certified ATCs is over 50 years. I have been the Head AT for RPHS since the inception of the school in the fall of 2010, and I have been a certified ATC for 25 years.
Photo:
Bottom Row (left to right): Chloe Ledet, Valeria Morales, Mikayla Egbuna, Blaire Broussard, Mariah McBride
Middle Row: Haley North and Jordyn Peoples
Top Row: Chelsi Davis (Assistant AT), Christian Anderson, Lawrence Burnett, Ruben Arteaga, Jeff Arceneaux (Head AT)
Not present: Mark Stephens (Assistant AT)
CEDAR CREEK HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Cedar Creek High School is a 5A, D1 high school within Bastrop Independent School District in Bastrop, Texas.
- The Athletic Training program consists of Interim Head Athletic Trainer, Hannah Peavy, and her amazing group of 16 athletic training student aids.
- Together they provided athletic training services for over 700 athletes and 12 different sports year round.
- The students in the athletic training program boast a wide variety of other extracurricular activity involvement including multiple sports teams, academic clubs, and social programs.
Photo:
- Top Row (Left to Right): Sophie Amaya, Dillon Dubee, Jonathan Morales-Aragon, Joel Lucio, Serena Mata, Maria Gallardo-Oviedo, Cailey Goertz
- Bottom Row (Left to Right): Mylie Paysse, Yoselynn Cornejo Roman, Angelica Fernandez, Hannah Peavy (Interim Head Athletic Trainer), Kalani Rivera, Estrella Gonzales Perez, Elisah Sanchez
- Not Pictured: Mackenzie Collins, Daelyn Gonzalez, Chloe Hunter
C.E. KING HIGH SCHOOL
IOWA COLONY HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Our campus opened in 2022, and we will graduate our first senior class in 2025.
- Our staff strives to make our patient population feel seen and heard by treating them with Compassionate Care from head to toe, inside and out.
- We have two staff members that are bilingual (Jose and A'Jai)
- Coaches and students refer to us as the Dream Team
- We all have a common bond in how we came to know each other through prior interactions: Pearland ISD, University of Houston and Texas Tech University - I was on staff at Dawson HS when Sydney and Jose were MAT students at UH, both completed rotations at Dawson, I met A'Jai when she was in the UH MAT program rotating at Pearland High. They're UH MAT grads, A'Jai and I both completed undergrad at Texas Tech, where she also served as an intern AT with the tennis programs and worked with two of my AT mentors.
Photo:
Our professional AT from left to right: A'Jai Malone (Houston Methodist Outreach AT), Roderick Williams (Head Athletic Trainer), Jose Chavez-Madrid (Assistant AT) and Sydney Hayes (Assistant AT)
STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Out of 2438 students that attend the school, approximately 65% of the student population participate in Athletics.
- In the month of September, Athletic Trainers have documented 1216 treatments, and have completed a record 117 treatments in one day.
- The two Staff Athletic Trainers are averaging about 65 – 70 hours a week with the help of the Memorial Hermann Contract Athletic Trainer averaging about 45 – 50 hours a week.
- With 30 years of experience between the 3 staff Athletic Trainers, this is their first year at Stratford High School and it has been non-stop since they started.
Photo:
Top Row: Chloe Cousins, Peyton Whitten, Rayla Reed, Anissa Pier, Lillie McMahon, Leila Morales
2nd Row: Gabriela Sanchez, Jordyn McGee, Katie Ramon, Lauryn Cooper, Wendy Marinez, Jocelyn Ramon,
3rd Row: Sage Biehl, Zahraa, London Rankin, Chrisley Lewis, Diana Ramos-Ponce, Khianna Cooper
4th Row: Johnny Gomez (Head Athletic Trainer), Elinasofia Hyams (Assistant Athletic Trainer)
Not Pictured:
Madison Lewis (Assistant Athletic Trainer), Nalani Washington, Monserat Aguilar, Za’riyah Cotton, Caitlin Leslie, Lydia Malachias
OAK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
-We are preceptors for the Sam Houston State University Masters of Athletic Training Program.
-Oak Ridge is a NATA Safe Sports School recipient.
-We have one of the largest student trainer programs in the Houston area.
-Two of our staff members graduated from Conroe ISD schools before returning as employees.
Photo:
Dani Blackwell, Rebecca Mathews, Todd Murrell
TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Taylor High School take great pride in the work of our training staff.
- Doc Jules and Doc Hannah bring extensive experience in the athletic training to us.
- They see our students as their own and treat the minds and the spirits so that our students return to play healthy.
- They go beyond treatments and ensure that the students and their families understand how best to get student back in competition and how to avoid reinjury.
WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Susan Davis is in her 31st year at Westfield High School, it is her first and only full time athletic training position
- Chris Grasty was a student trainer at Westfield high school and worked as a student trainer for Mrs. Davis in her first year.
- There at least 7 professional athletic trainers in the Houston area that graduated from Westfield and were student trainers while in school.
- Westfield is a clinical site for the Masters of Athletic Training program at Sam Houston State University
Photo:
Front Row L-R
Elijah Evans, Icelin Pendland, Alaya McGill, Melani Fletcher, April Torres, Barbara Puente
Back Row
Susan Davis LAT, ATC, Chris Grasty LAT
CONNALLY HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Nearly all of our student athletic trainers are involved in 1 or more extra curricular activities besides Sports Medicine.
- 67% of our seniors last year went on to pursue a career in the medical field.
- Our student athletic trainer program is growing and we currently have 25 students with 10 being returners.
- In addition to physical injuries, we teach about the importance of taking care of our mental health. We incorporate mental health check-ins with our students once a month and discuss ways to improve our overall well-being.
ROUSE HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Rouse is 5A HS in the Greater Austin area with over 700 High School and 200 Middle School Athletes.
- All of our 30 Athletic Training Student Aids are CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and Stop the Bleed trained.
- Our students are involved in the Sports Medicine 1, 2 & 3 courses.
- Without the assistance of our Athletic Training Student Aides, we could not provide the quality medical care on a day to day basis.
Photo:
- Top Row (L-R) Maranda Dean, Lily Waters, Valerie Ireta, Jalynn Barber, Adelyn Hutcherson, Paige Proctor, Addison Harman, Mila Michel, Natalie Prigmore, Shrisha Saravanan,
- Middle Row (L-R) Wayne Lauritzen, Kristofer Espino, Riya Shaiju, Neha Pinnamaneni, Shrinika Saravanan, Ruhi Bhosale, Audrey Kinman, Shelby Hecht, Maximus Abernathy, Miranda Gafford,
- Bottom Row (L-R) Ashlynn Huber, Andrea Suarez, Elise Bohman, Lizzy Gallagher, Hailey Putman, Kinsley Hansen, Ava Huber, Camille Cooper, Ashton Borque, Anna Cipriano, Brooklyn Castillo
GLENN HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Glenn is the newest high school in Leander ISD, opening in 2016.
- We're proud of the efforts of our sports medicine students as they support our athletes on 48 teams across 15 UIL sports. Go grizzlies!
Photo:
Back Row: Savannah Rasmussen, Ryan Lawrence, Jordan Mitchell, Iliah Berotte, Ben Coggin, Addisyn Devaux, Ami Diomande, Elizabeth Rutledge
Middle Row: Breckin Fitzpatrick, Brooklynne Menchaca, Alina Perea, Ivey Moore, Riley Hassell, Valeria Trejo, Athyna Anciano
Front Row: Coach Molly Kidd, Yvonne Morales-Aguilar, Sophia Ali, Mia Rosas, Kinley Sartain, Marissa Rodriguez, Skylar McKenzie, Coach Jason Allen
NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Originally John H. Reagan High, a Texas football powerhouse in the 1960s and ‘70s, in 2019 Reagan became Northeast Early College High School; a new name with an old mascot. They’re still the Raiders.
- Raiders Athletic Trainer Kendra Brookover Tharp, a 26-year Reagan/Northeast veteran, soloed 25 of those years. She welcomed Athletic Trainer Julian Eaton to the staff to start the 2023 football season. They both work boys and girls sports and oversee student athletic trainer program. Each fall Raiders' athletic trainers tie-dye custom T-shirts to wear for the Homecoming game.
- Austin ISD’s International High School is now part of the Northeast campus, and its students from 21 countries are also Raider athletes. Sometimes its students or their parents, new to the US and still learning English, can present Northeast athletic trainers with unique challenges requiring non-traditional communication methods to explain injuries, treatment protocol and rehab to these students and their families.
HUTTO HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- 46 total years of experience between the staff ATs, our Sports Medicine program has doubled in numbers in 2 years, we have an average of 5 students who pursue athletic training upon HS graduation.
- Award can be mailed to Hutto ISD 101 Chris Kelley Blvd, Hutto TX 78653 (Athletics Department)
- Checks can be mailed to Hutto ISD 101 Chris Kelley Blvd, Hutto TX 78653 to Athletics Department (memo: Athletic Training)
Photo:
(Left to right, bottom to top rows)
4th row: Betzaida, Alicia, Lizeth, Autumn, Devyn, Caydence, Kenna, Anna, Lizbeth, Madison, FB manager
3rd row: Emma, Afia, Kaydence, Maya, Julissa, Jasmin, Ayiana, Genesis, Johana, Neveah
2nd row: Josie, Leslie, Makenna, Avery, Taylor, Clarissa, Gabriela, Peyton, Zaydin, Amber, Angelina
1st row: FB manager, Brylie, Jaycee, Victoria Limely (staff athletic trainer), Eric De la Houssaye(Staff Athletic trainer), Dr. Dulce Guevara (staff Head athletic trainer), Angela, FB manager
BASTROP HIGH SCHOOL
Interesting Facts:
- Our 19 dedicated student athletic trainers play a vital role in supporting over 800 student-athletes across multiple venues. With front-row seats to every game, they gain invaluable experience and contribute to the success and safety of our athletic community. We are proud to say that each of our student trainers is certified in American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid and CPR.
- Our program is built on the principles of peer-to-peer leadership and community. Through our "big and little" initiative, we foster a nurturing environment where students learn from one another, build strong relationships, and develop essential life skills. This supportive atmosphere encourages personal growth and resilience, even when faced with challenges. We also commend our student trainers for their remarkable ability to balance their responsibilities in athletic training with other extracurricular activities while maintaining an impressive A/B average in the classroom.
- Our program is led by two staff athletic trainers, Antse Woods and Leigh Muil
Photo:
Front Row - Evelyn Verdalet, Alondra Vasquez, Milana Rodriguez, Kaitlyn Mayes, Maritza Vargas, Natalia Vallejo
Middle Row - Lindsey McFarland, Valeria Cespedes, Jocelyn Gomez, Tayler Herklotz, Ashley Lopez Bailon, Yesliann Cirino, Nayelly Navarro-Corleto
Back Row - Leigh Muil- Athletic Trainer, Samantha McFarland, Maeve Kennedy, Alaysia Williams, Payton Moore, Allyson Patterson, Antse Woods - Head Athletic Trainer Not pictured: Nate Martinez