What is a certified athletic trainer (ATC)?
A certified athletic trainer is an allied health professional who has earned a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited athletic training program at the college or university level and has passed the national Board of Certification exam.
In addition, many athletic trainers complete a master's degree in either athletic training or a related discipline such as exercise science, exercise physiology, secondary education or health and wellness. In order to use the ATC credential professionally in the state of Virginia, an individual must be licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine, just like physicians, pharmacists, and physical therapists.
What does an ATC do?
The ATCs employed by CHKD work in the interscholastic athletics setting. Their focus is primarily on athletes playing middle school and high school sports. Each day, the ATCs provide the following services:
- Injury evaluation and diagnosis
- Design and implementation of rehabilitation programs
- Practice and event coverage for VHSL recognized sports
- Emergency management of severe injuries
- Maintain documentation of athletic injuries
- Pre-practice and game taping and bracing
- Coordinate with parents, physicians, and physical therapists to carry out an athlete's plan of care for a wide variety of athletic injuries
- Work cooperatively with coaches and athletic department staff to ensure safe playing conditions for all athletes
- Assist student-athletes and parents in determining when they need to see their primary care physician or a sports medicine specialist, providing referrals as needed
- Work to promote healthy lifestyle choices and assist student-athletes in locating educational resources to improve health literacy
In addition, CHKD's ATCs play a key role in a student-athlete's concussion management team by monitoring athletes on a daily basis and acting as the liaison between physicians, teachers, and coaches during the recovery process. Learn more about CHKD's Concussion Program here.
Community Involvement
CHKD's ATCs also support the Hampton Roads community by providing medical coverage for local athletic events. If you or your child has participated in the CHKD RunWalk for the Kids, Girls on the Run 5k, Challenger Baseball World Festival, Paul Webb Basketballs Camps, or the Chesapeake Sheriff's football camp, then you have probably met a CHKD athletic trainer.
Improving health literacy in the community is important to CHKD. ATCs take part in this effort by teaching American Heart Association HeartSaver CPR/AED and First Aid classes to students and coaches within the school systems, as well as to other groups in the community. Our CHKD ATCs give educational talks on general sports injury prevention, care and nutrition to youth sport camps and athletic clubs as requested. If you are interested in having a CHKD athletic trainer speak at your camp or club meeting, please call (757) 373-7427.
CHKD has athletic trainers working at:
- Chesapeake Public Schools- High Schools and Middle Schools
- Virginia Beach Public Schools- High Schools and Middle Schools
- Poquoson City Public Schools- Poquoson High School
- Suffolk Public Schools- Nansemond River High School
- Currituck County Schools- Currituck High School, Currituck Middle School, and Moyock Middle School
- Atlantic Shores Christian School
- Greenbriar Christian School
- Virginia Sportsplex
- Sports Medicine Clinic
- Children’s Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
- Sports Medicine Physical Therapy (dual credentialed physical therapists/certified athletic trainers)