Injury. The biggest setback for an athlete. From sprained ankles to strained hamstrings, aches and pains are a part of sports. Luckily for our Dubs, there’s an entire team behind them, ensuring the best recovery and care possible. North Atlanta has always had a sports medicine program, but this year it’s bigger, stronger, and far more developed. With four times as many student trainers, CHOA sponsorships, and hands-on recovery and treatment, our athletes are protected from the second they step on the field to the final whistle blow.
Before this year’s upsize, the sports medicine department existed more as the background music on a workout playlist—quality and sound, but not the main event. Ankles were wrapped, ice packs handed out, and then it was on with the next athlete. Fast-forward to this year, and it feels like the program is about to headline at Coachella. As Athletic Director Reagan described, “This program has evolved from reactive to proactive. It’s now the cornerstone of our athletic success,” he said. “Our athletes feel safer, and our student trainers gain real experience—it’s a win-win.”
The expansion has been difficult to overlook. Our beloved trainer, Demetre Ledlum, has been running the program for a few years and has seen it all. What began as a handful of student trainers on the sidelines at football games has become twenty trainers that cover nearly every sport on campus, giving athletes care and attention like never before. “It has surpassed our expectations and allowed students to see what is available under the sports medicine umbrella,” Demetre said.
With additional hands on board, injuries aren’t as isolating, and recovery isn’t a blind path. Student trainers are on the sidelines at most sporting events, ready to jump in whenever necessary. Junior football star Quinn Herring has explained that the expansion gives him confidence because he knows that if anything goes wrong, there will always be a team behind him. “This has allowed me to recover and be healthy, which allows me to play at the highest level possible,” said Herring.
At the end of the day, wins and losses will come and go, yet it is the daily presence of the sports medicine staff that continues to keep our Dubs chugging along. They may not always be front-page news, but without them, the game does not go on. Sports medicine has gone from “just in case” to “always on call,” quietly making sure every DUB is safe, confident, and ready for whatever comes their way.
