Outreach Athletic Training Services

Overview | What Is A Certified Athletic Trainer? | School Visitations
Performance Testing | Education Programs

The Sports Medicine Center has an established outreach program that places our certified athletic trainers in the field to meet the needs of scholastic and collegiate athletes. Our two-phase program includes the Partner Program, which serves area high schools and colleges, and the Associate Program, which includes high schools and colleges outside the immediate Williamsport area. We contract with institutions, decreasing the school district and coach's liability. Services may include daily athletic training coverage for PIAA and NCAA sports, practice and event coverage and daily rehabilitation. Certified athletic trainers also set up prevention programs, including strengthening, conditioning and flexibility training.

Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC) are highly skilled and educated health professionals who provide comprehensive athletic health care for all athletes. An ATC plays a unique and important role in the health care system today, preventing, recognizing, managing and rehabilitating sports injuries. In this role, the ATC can help athletes avoid unnecessary medical treatment and disruption of normal daily activities. Once contracted, the certified athletic trainer is accessible daily for injury evaluation and treatment, proper use of heat and cold therapy, electric modalities such as electrical stimulation or ultrasound, taping and wrapping, and consultations on nutrition, flexibility, and strength training. With this contract, all services are free to the student athlete.

The ATC specializes in four practice areas:

• Prevention, recognition, evaluation and immediate care of athletic injuries .
• Rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries .
• Healthcare administration .
• Education and counseling.

Full-time secondary school athletic trainers offer the additional benefit of being available throughout the school day to assist in rehabilitation thereby reducing an athlete's "down time." Full-time athletic trainers are currently under contract at Montoursville, Muncy, South Williamsport, Sullivan County, Warrior Run, Williamsport, Canton, Liberty, Mansfield, Montgomery, North Penn, Hughesville, Penn College and Loyalsock.

For schools without the services of an athletic trainer, we offer weekly or bi-weekly school visits. We work closely with the coaching staff and/or school nurse in evaluating athletic injuries, providing information on the management of injuries and returning the athlete safely to his/her sport.

Read more about our Outreach Athletic Training program.

Another service of our comprehensive program is performance-testing injuries. The Sports Medicine Center athletic trainers conduct special tests for strength, flexibility, speed, endurance, agility and balance of your athletes and help determine their level of fitness. The Sports Medicine Staff identifies weaknesses and provides appropriate information and/or rehabilitation programs for coaches to improve performance and help prevent injuries.

All performance testing is arranged through a contractual agreement between the sponsor—a team, school, booster club or other organization, and The Sports Medicine Center. Arrangements must be made in advance by contacting The Sports Medicine Center at 570-320-7448 or 1-800-321-2WIN.

We are committed to sharing information about the latest developments and advancements in the field of sports medicine through our in-service programs. For more information on scheduled programs and events or to schedule an in-service designed for your staff, please call The Sports Medicine Center at 570-321-2WIN.

Each summer, we conduct two workshops for high school students interested in the field of athletic training and sports medicine. The Student Athletic Trainers' Workshop for high school students provides basic practical athletic training information and hands-on instruction.

The Advanced Student Athletic Trainers' Workshop provides student trainers with a deeper understanding of athletic training and the opportunity to improve their individual skills and confidence.