About 75 high school students were treated to a taste of a career in athletic training at a free sports medicine workshop hosted by the Lake Area Athletic Trainers Association on Friday.

Since 2002 – sans a hiatus from 2019 to 2022 – LAATA has hosted the workshop to get high school students interested in Sports Medicine careers. Each year, students from near and far spend the day at the Jack V. Doland Field House practicing career skills (basics like taping and spineboarding), learning about anatomy and competing.

Athletic training falls under the umbrella of sports medicine which requires mandatory bachelor’s and master’s degrees. They specialize in injury prevention, physical therapy and rehabilitation care for athletes, and are “highly trained” in emergency care – AED, CPR.

LAATA President Christi Barker is a contract athletic trainer for the Lake Charles Memorial Health System, serving Calcasieu Parish School Board schools.

She took over LAATA last year when the former president stepped down.

“I couldn’t let it die.”

She said it is important to introduce students to athletic training in high school.

“We like to provide a service for the kids to have an outlet, maybe the ones who aren’t active in sports but would like to get involved,” she said. “It’s a good way for them to open the door, whether it’s athletic training, physical therapy or becoming a doctor.”

Raegan Dow is a second-year student at Southeastern Louisiana University studying athletic training. When she was in high school, Barker guided her to the profession.

“I fell in love with it.”

She said athletic training is “fascinating” to learn about it, specifically muscle anatomy, working out and rehabilitation.

“I like fixing things, so that is one of the big components of it that really keeps me interested.”

Incoming Sam Houston High School Senior Kiya Williamson has been a student trainer for four years. During sporting events (football season is her favorite) she tapes ankles and wrists, conducts stretches and assists athletic trainers with minor injuries.

She was introduced to athletic training her freshman year. Her experience has reaffirmed her career aspirations.

“I’ve always known I wanted to be in the medical field, and that really helped me know for sure that is what I wanted to do.”

She initially wanted to work with the NFL, but is now leaning towards pursuing a career as a pediatric nurse practitioner, she said.

Dow said that athletic training experience can lead to several different careers.

“Athletic training is just one of the professions in sports medicine because you can go from anywhere to dietary to athletic training to even psychology,” she explained. “I think this can just open up the eyes of the many different professions you can have.”