HSHS ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL: HSHS Athletes Advantage Trainers honored during National Athletic Training Month

By Press release submission

Mar 18, 2019

HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital issued the following announcement on March 12.

The Certified Athletic Trainers of HSHS Athletes Advantage Sports Medicine at HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Breese, HSHS Holy Family Hospital in Greenville and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland are celebrating National Athletic Training Month during March 2019. National Athletic Training Month spreads awareness about the important work of athletic trainers. “ATs Are Health Care” is the theme of this year’s National Athletic Training Month, which is sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).

Certified Athletic trainers (ATs) are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide emergency care and prevent, evaluate and treat injuries and medical conditions for people in work, life and play including athletes, industrial workers, military service members and public servants.

HSHS Athletes Advantage Sports Medicine has been providing Certified Athletic Trainers to schools throughout the region since 2002. Starting with one school and one Certified Athletic Trainer, Athletes Advantage now has 14 Certified Athletic Trainers covering 12 high schools, 1 junior college, and 1 university. Athletic trainers serve students at:

Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville
Breese Central High School
Breese Mater Dei High School
Brownstown High School
Carlyle High School
Greenville High School
Greenville University
Highland High School
O’Fallon Township High School
Okawville High School
St. Anthony High School, Effingham
St. Elmo High School
Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville
Wesclin High School, Trenton

Through these important partnerships, certified athletic trainers attend games and practices at the schools to provide on-site injury evaluation, management of concussion injuries and sport-specific rehabilitation to ensure ideal outcomes. Additionally, through the Athletes Advantage Program, student athletes have access to licensed physical therapists and assistants to rehabilitate sports injuries, working in conjunction with Certified Athletic Trainers to ensure a comprehensive rehabilitation and timely return to activity.

The Athletes Advantage team also takes their expertise out to the community during fitness events such as races and walks.

“We are involved in many local events. We host a 5k in November, assist with HSHS hospital health fairs, provide coverage for Saturday morning youth football teams and offer summer camp opportunities in our service areas focusing on strength, speed, and agility,” said HSHS Athletes Advantage Manager Jamie Wagner, MEd, ATC, CSCS.

An important, sports-related issue that gets a lot of attention these days is identifying and treating concussions. Athletes Advantage offers ImPACT® Concussion Testing, which utilizes a computer-based neuro-cognitive function test, or simply an “impact test.”

Utilized by colleges, NASCAR, and the NFL, its purpose is to provide baseline testing followed by post-injury testing for those who have received a concussive injury. According to Wagner, the impact test is “a great tool for assisting in the treatment of concussions.”

Athletes Advantage’s Certified Athletic Trainers include:

Program Coordinator

Jamie Wagner, MEd, ATC, CSCS,

O'Fallon Township High School

Brynn Hackney, ATC & Shelby Thiems, ATC

Southwestern Illinois College

Amy Von Hatten, ATC

Althoff Catholic High School

Suzi Wessel, ATC

Highland High School

Erin Hoepfner, ATC

Breese Central High School