There are many faculty jobs at Cathedral that students may be unaware of, including our very own athletic trainers who support our athletics program by helping athletes with injuries and returning them to their highest potential. Cathedral has two full time athletic trainers, Tara Hall and Austin Walker, who aid and appreciate all Dons athletes.

For Ms. Tara Hall, the interest in becoming an athletic trainer developed at a young age. Growing up a gymnast, she first injured herself in sixth grade and had to go into physical therapy. At age eleven, she decided she wanted to work with people in rehab, and help return them to good health.

Later in college, she “learned that athletic trainers have the opportunity to work exclusively with athletes and get to be involved in every aspect of an athlete’s injury, from the initial incident, the evaluation, the rehabilitation, and the return to play, and through seeing them participate in their sport again fully. Once I learned that, I decided the profession was for me,” said Ms. Hall.

In her ten years at Cathedral, her most favorable part of being an athletic trainer is interacting with student-athletes and helping them recover from injuries. “I enjoy seeing the excitement that the high school age athlete has when they first get back on the field/court/pool after they have been injured. It is very rewarding,” said Hall.

The most memorable year at Cathedral for Ms. Hall would be 2008-2009. Cathedral Dons won state championships in girls’ volleyball and boys’ football, the girls’ soccer team also won the Southern Cal Championship, and the baseball team earned a number one ranking in the state. “That was a very fun and rare year,” she said.

When Ms. Austin Walker was young, she played baseball, often receiving injuries which also put her in physical therapy. She learned about the profession of an athletic trainer and knew it was something she would be interested in when she was older. “I liked that it was a job centered around helping people and wasn’t a typical ‘desk job,'” said Ms. Walker.

Ms. Walker officially started working here at Cathedral in July of 2014. So far in her experience at Cathedral, her favorite part has been “the student-athletes I get to work with here, obviously! They are all so funny and appreciative which makes the job enjoyable,” said Ms. Walker. Her most memorable moment at Cathedral so far would be varsity football’s last minute win against Eastlake with the field goal. “There were quite a few injuries that game, so it was exciting that they were able to pull off a win,” she said.

Even though Ms. Walker has been here for only a few months, she has already helped many students with injuries. Sophomore athlete Victoria Aragon said, “When my parents were out of town and I broke my nose in a water polo game, I went to Cathedral because my brother was playing in a soccer game here and I went to see if they could check me out and help me. Ms. Walker was the best! She checked me out, called my parents, and gave me her number so I could contact her at anytime for anything, like a ride to the hospital. She gave me ice to help with the swelling and then hung out with me for the whole soccer game.”

Junior athlete Mackenzie Davey also appreciates our trainers. “The athletic trainers are really important to our school because they help keep our Cathedral athletes healthy and help us recover from our injuries as quickly and easily as possible,” she said.

Not only do our athletic trainers serve to help athletes, they also serve as an inspiration for future athletic trainers. To become one is a lengthy process. A person is required to take and pass the Board of Certification test after completing a program approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. As a part of the Board of Certification accredited program, each student must complete a minimum of a two-year internship working under a certified athletic trainer. This certification can be in conjunction with either a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Each student must work a minimum of twenty hours per week in a clinical environment along with completing their regular college requirements.

The process, however, does not deter those who hope to help athletes in the future. “I would definitely consider becoming an athletic trainer, it seems like an amazing job where you can learn a lot and help other people,” said senior athlete Kendall Hightower. “I think it’s really cool that the athletic trainers care so much about our athletes, and I think our school would be a different place without them.”