Mind, Body and Spirit, Endicott's Athletic Trainers

As the 2013-14 academic year nears, we will be celebrating the past 20 seasons of athletic competition by doing a special segment by honoring the 20 greatest moments in Endicott athletic history.  The 20 Moments in 20 Days daily piece will highlight the 20 greatest moments in Endicott athletic history in no specific order or ranking.  This is a compilation of the 20 greatest moments that we have been honored to have witnessed over our 20 seasons of varsity athletics.  Starting on Saturday, August 10^th and ending on August 29^th, we will be revealing one of the moments each day as we ready ourselves for the kickoff to the 21^st season of competition in Endicott history on August 30^th.

Behind every athlete is a team of people making sure they are able to succeed in their sport. At Endicott, we are lucky to have an incredible athletic training staff that without their support and dedication our student-athletes would not be as successful as they are. This month we have been celebrating the 20 greatest moments in Endicott athletics.  What many may not realize is that this is also the 20^th year of a fully developed athletic training program.

In 1993, the current Dean of the School of Sport Science & Fitness Studies and the Chair of Athletic Training, Dr. Deborah Swanton, started what is now one of the most respected athletic training programs in New England.  Endicott was still a small all-women’s institution with six varsity teams in the athletic department. At the time, Dr. Swanton was the Head Athletic Trainer at Endicott and athletic training was an option for students as a concentration within the psychology major. With the support of administration she created a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training and received full accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in 1997. Without Dr. Swanton’s efforts to bring athletic training to the college the program would not be what it is today. Dr. Swanton reflects on that time saying, “My first year, Endicott was an all-women’s College and I am honored to be a part of that tradition.  It has been exciting to be part of a community that has gone through such tremendous transformation over the last 20 years.  There has been significant growth and development in academic offerings, opportunities for student engagement and in the infrastructure of the campus.”

Endicott athletics has a great relationship with the athletic training program. From the beginning in 1993 athletic training students were sent out with the teams to gain hands on experience in their field. Current Head Athletic Trainer Kevin Rooney said, “The program gives first hand clinical experience for our students and it falls in line with the Endicott educational philosophy of experiential learning. It prepares our students for the real world and gives them the opportunity to move into a position they desire with more valuable knowledge and experience compared to other institutions.”

The program has developed over the years and a lot of that has to do with the fact that the athletic training staff also teaches courses at the college for the student athletic trainers. “We have a very flexible and knowledgeable staff that is able to work in the classroom as well as in the field with our student-athletes. It takes a true teacher and a certain type of person to be able to balance the both.  We are lucky enough to have a staff that has the willingness to teach,” said Rooney.

The athletic training program is one of the most vigorous and difficult majors on campus and this group of students has done a tremendous job in the classroom. Just over the past five years, their passing rates on the National Board of Certification Exam has been close to 100%. In the past two years they have attained a 100% success rate on the first attempt of the exam where the national average is between 65-75% for the first attempt.

The athletic training staff and their students work long hours and have just as much effect on a team’s achievements as the athletes do. In addition, there are always a select few student trainers who are also student athletes, which takes a lot of discipline and time management. The program has grown immensely and they continue to strive to improve and grow every year.

A big thanks goes to Dr. Swanton and her team for their ability to keep expanding the School of Sports Science and Fitness Studies. The athletic training program alone has been a huge success and a lot of that is due to Dr. Swanton and her commitment to Endicott College.  “What has been most rewarding is to witness the success of Endicott students both past and present. Our alumni network is growing each year and it always makes my day to hear about their accomplishments,” said Dr. Swanton.

From the Athletic Department, to our coaches and our student-athletes, we thank the entire Athletic Training Program for their dedication and support. Without your efforts we truly would not be the successful group of Gulls we are.