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Trainers play a huge role in success of North Georgia athletics
By David Beall
With sports in full swing at North Georgia, you would be hard pressed to find anyone that works harder than the group of athletic trainers, a group that pours its life into each student-athlete.
As games are won and the Saints compete at the NCAA level, it's important to remember who keeps these athletes on the field and injury-free.
North Georgia boasts the largest full time athletic training staff in the Peach Belt Conference, numbering five full-time staff members and a graduate assistant.
Adding three new athletic trainers for the 2007-08 season gives the program the luxury of assuring every athlete the best care year round.
“From an athletic standpoint, this move really allows us to provide the best medical coverage possible,” said athletic training program coordinator Derek Suranie. “This is the first year we have traveled with cross country, and now we are going to travel consistently with tennis as well.”
Last year the athletic training room nearly doubled in size when they expanded the rehab room, allowing athletes to rehabilitate in the best possible facility.
“Our equipment is all brand new and state of the art,” Suranie said. “The administration has been tremendous in there support for us.”
Jessica Bruner and Tracy Johnson are the brand new faces to the program, hailing from recent graduate assistant jobs at Murray State and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, respectively.
“They both graduated from very respected undergraduate programs in athletic training,” Suranie said. “We were attracted to the experience they brought from a Division I level, as well as the new outside perspective they brought to the table.”
Bruner's responsibilities include men's and women's cross country and softball, while Johnson will be in charge of the men's soccer program.
“I really like the Division II level,” Bruner said. “When I first interviewed I knew this would be a perfect and so far I couldn't be happier.”
The familiar face of Amanda Williamson also joined the North Georgia staff this season as a graduate assistant after a brief stint at Troy University. This year she will work primarily with the women's soccer and tennis programs.
Being in Dahlonega is nothing new to Williamson as she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from North Georgia in 2006.
“It is a little different getting used to being an employee rather than a student,” Williamson said. “But everyone has made this an easy transition and it is great to be welcomed back to a place that you left.”
The current faculty seems confident that these new additions will fit right in and be a big part of the emerging athletic training program.
“We spend most of the day performing treatments and trying to rehabilitate individuals, but a significant part of our job is injury prevention,” Suranie said. “
The program ensures success by developing close relationships with the coaches and athletes to help them understand the importance of getting treatment.
Having mutual trust between the athletes and the trainers allows the athletes to be treated at the first sign of injury and get the necessary treatment before it becomes too serious.
The North Georgia athletic training program strives to meet its mission by proudly serving the Saints student-athletes.
Through injury prevention, care, and rehabilitation, they keep the Saints and Lady Saints in the game.
Nicki Patterson, a recent graduate of the program, commented on her experience. “NGCSU was the most qualified and challenging school to prepare me for my career.” Patterson is now enrolled in Physical Therapy school at North Georgia.
On any given day you can walk down the hall by the training room and see athletic trainers greeting injured athletes from any of eleven different sports to make sure North Georgia athletes are healthy to head out and compete at the NCAA level.
Even though they may receive little recognition, some might say that these individuals are the most valuable players in the Saints athletic department.
As games are won and the Saints compete at the NCAA level, it's important to remember who keeps these athletes on the field and injury-free.
North Georgia boasts the largest full time athletic training staff in the Peach Belt Conference, numbering five full-time staff members and a graduate assistant.
Adding three new athletic trainers for the 2007-08 season gives the program the luxury of assuring every athlete the best care year round.
“From an athletic standpoint, this move really allows us to provide the best medical coverage possible,” said athletic training program coordinator Derek Suranie. “This is the first year we have traveled with cross country, and now we are going to travel consistently with tennis as well.”
Last year the athletic training room nearly doubled in size when they expanded the rehab room, allowing athletes to rehabilitate in the best possible facility.
“Our equipment is all brand new and state of the art,” Suranie said. “The administration has been tremendous in there support for us.”
Jessica Bruner and Tracy Johnson are the brand new faces to the program, hailing from recent graduate assistant jobs at Murray State and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, respectively.
“They both graduated from very respected undergraduate programs in athletic training,” Suranie said. “We were attracted to the experience they brought from a Division I level, as well as the new outside perspective they brought to the table.”
Bruner's responsibilities include men's and women's cross country and softball, while Johnson will be in charge of the men's soccer program.
“I really like the Division II level,” Bruner said. “When I first interviewed I knew this would be a perfect and so far I couldn't be happier.”
The familiar face of Amanda Williamson also joined the North Georgia staff this season as a graduate assistant after a brief stint at Troy University. This year she will work primarily with the women's soccer and tennis programs.
Being in Dahlonega is nothing new to Williamson as she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from North Georgia in 2006.
“It is a little different getting used to being an employee rather than a student,” Williamson said. “But everyone has made this an easy transition and it is great to be welcomed back to a place that you left.”
The current faculty seems confident that these new additions will fit right in and be a big part of the emerging athletic training program.
“We spend most of the day performing treatments and trying to rehabilitate individuals, but a significant part of our job is injury prevention,” Suranie said. “
The program ensures success by developing close relationships with the coaches and athletes to help them understand the importance of getting treatment.
Having mutual trust between the athletes and the trainers allows the athletes to be treated at the first sign of injury and get the necessary treatment before it becomes too serious.
The North Georgia athletic training program strives to meet its mission by proudly serving the Saints student-athletes.
Through injury prevention, care, and rehabilitation, they keep the Saints and Lady Saints in the game.
Nicki Patterson, a recent graduate of the program, commented on her experience. “NGCSU was the most qualified and challenging school to prepare me for my career.” Patterson is now enrolled in Physical Therapy school at North Georgia.
On any given day you can walk down the hall by the training room and see athletic trainers greeting injured athletes from any of eleven different sports to make sure North Georgia athletes are healthy to head out and compete at the NCAA level.
Even though they may receive little recognition, some might say that these individuals are the most valuable players in the Saints athletic department.
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| LUMPKIN FOOTBALL: Indians return home to host Gainesville this Friday | SAINTS CROSS COUNTRY: North Georgia approaches mid-point of season |
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For example, if Mr. Fill-in-the-Blank says something you don't agree with, don't tell the world that Mr. Fill-in-the-Blank is a no good dirty scoundrel who cuts off people in traffic and has owed you $20 since 1997. The Nugget asks you to please just stick to the issues at hand. That way we'll keep the debate lively, without getting personal. And remember, above all else, keep it civil and directed at the topic that's being discussed. We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
