More Than the First Aid Kit

UNC Health Southeastern EMT/First Responder Saavyon Melvin and Certified Athletic Trainer Caroline Malpass supported Lumberton High School student athletes during the school's Midnight Madness football practice held Friday, July 31.

By Heather Walters

On Friday nights, most fans notice the athletic trainer only when a player goes down. They are the first to step onto the field, calmly assessing the situation and making sure the athlete receives the care they need.

What many people never see is everything that happens before and after that moment.

For more than 1,600 student athletes across Robeson County's six public high schools, UNC Health Southeastern's athletic trainers are a constant presence. They are there before practice begins, throughout every workout, during every game, and long after the final whistle. They help prevent injuries, evaluate medical concerns, guide rehabilitation, and work alongside physicians to help students safely return to the sports they love.

Some of their most important work happens when no one is watching. They are making sure athletes are hydrated, monitoring the heat, enforcing required rest breaks, and paying attention to the little things that can prevent a serious medical emergency. They are constantly watching over these students, not just as athletes, but as young people entrusted to their care.

Many of UNC Health Southeastern's athletic trainers have served Robeson County student athletes for years, building lasting relationships with athletes, parents, coaches, and school communities along the way.

If you've attended a high school football game in Robeson County, you've likely seen the familiar UNC Health Southeastern blue tent on the sidelines. Inside that tent is a team committed to the health and safety of every student athlete. Athletic trainers, resident physicians, orthopedic specialists, and other UNC Health Southeastern teammates work together to ensure athletes receive expert care when they need it most.

"People often think our job starts when someone gets hurt," said Cal Hunt, a certified athletic trainer with UNC Health Southeastern who works at Purnell Swett High School. "In reality, we spend every day working to keep athletes healthy and safe. We get to know these students, earn their trust, and help them navigate everything from the first day of practice to their return after an injury. That relationship is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do."

For many students, an athletic trainer becomes one of the most trusted adults on campus.

"Whenever something happens, they're the first person I look for," said Taylor Martin, a student athlete at Lumberton High School. "They know us, they care about us, and they always make sure we're okay. Having someone you trust standing there makes a huge difference."

When an injury does occur, that trusted relationship becomes the bridge to a larger team of experts. Athletic trainers work closely with UNC Health Southeastern physicians and specialists to ensure student athletes receive the right care at the right time.

That commitment also includes a comprehensive concussion management program. Athletic trainers work closely with physicians, families, coaches, and school officials to evaluate suspected concussions, monitor recovery, and ensure student athletes return to the classroom and the playing field only when it is safe to do so.

Student athletes injured during practices or games on Thursdays or Fridays also have walk in access on Saturday mornings to fellowship trained sports medicine orthopedic surgeons through the Saturday Sports Medicine Clinic at UNC Health Orthopedics at Southeastern Health Park. The clinic, which restarts for the season on August 22, provides specialized care for bumps, bruises, sprains, strains, fractures, and other sports related injuries, with onsite X-ray services, splinting, bracing, casting, and access to advanced imaging when needed.

"One of the greatest strengths of this program is the partnership between our athletic trainers and orthopedic team," said James Slauterbeck, MD, fellowship trained sports medicine orthopedic surgeon with UNC Health Orthopedics at Southeastern Health Park. "Our athletic trainers know these students. They are often the first to evaluate an injury, and they provide us with valuable information that helps guide treatment. Working together allows us to provide timely care and safely return athletes to the activities they love."

The commitment to student athletes begins long before the first kickoff of the season. With support from the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation, sports physicals were provided at no cost this year for Robeson County middle and high school athletes ensuring students are ready for the season ahead. Foundation support has also helped strengthen the program through investments in concussion management resources, giving athletic trainers and physicians additional tools to evaluate injuries and make informed return to play decisions.

Athletic trainers are highly trained health care professionals specializing in injury prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation. Their education and expertise are essential, but what often leaves the greatest impression is something much simpler.

They care. They celebrate victories. They encourage athletes through setbacks. They reassure worried parents. They stand beside coaches when difficult decisions have to be made. They become trusted members of each school's athletic family while serving as an extension of the UNC Health Southeastern team.

The next time you see the familiar UNC Health Southeastern blue tent and athletic trainers on the sidelines, remember it represents far more than first aid. It represents an entire health system standing behind our student athletes. From the athletic trainers who know every player by name, to the resident physicians, orthopedic surgeons, physicians, rehabilitation specialists, and Foundation supported programs that strengthen sports medicine, countless teammates are working together to keep young athletes healthy, safe, and ready for whatever comes next.

Because caring for our community does not begin when someone walks through the doors of our hospital. It begins on the practice field, on the sidelines, in our schools, and wherever our community needs us most.

Heather Walters is the manager of Donor Experience & Engagement for the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation.