Those who watch sports don't get the opportunity to truly see what it takes to build a team, what it takes to make sure the wheels keep going, and what type of a professional relationship that staff have to form with one another in order to accomplish the end goal which is a successful year for not just the athletes but the entire team.
Success is not just measured with a championship cup, ring, or a gold medal, but rather success is the feeling a team gets when they have all the pieces that come together. Mentality, team cohesiveness, individual and team consistency, and mitigating the risks of injuries are just examples of the pieces that need to be there in order for a team to be successful. It also is progressing as an individual, progressing as a team, overcoming obstacles and leading by example. The championship does not define success. That's not to say that I wouldn't want my team to receive the championship!
To me as an Athletic Therapist success is when I am able to form a close professional bond with equipment managers, strength and conditioning trainers, coaches, management, skills and skating coaches, other health care professionals, and most importantly the athletes. I have had the privilege of working alongside all of these departments with a Junior A Hockey Team for the 2020-2021 hockey season. I always say if you want to achieve greatness as a team, then you have to be willing to compromise and zero in on what really matters!
This brings up a department who I don't think gets recognized enough in sports - our equipment managers! Having equipment managers is a life saver! I am not over exaggerating when I say that, because sometimes as an Athletic Therapist we have to take on both the medical and equipment duties. It's important as an Athletic Therapist to realize how much equipment managers do and also how helpful they are. Ultimately equipment managers and Athletic Therapists are always working together to come up with changes and alterations to equipment to protect injured and non-injured athletes.
I have the utmost respect for equipment managers because of what they do behind the scenes and how much time they dedicate to the team. Athletic Therapists and equipment managers truly have a lot in common! Being signed to the Victoria Grizzlies Junior A Hockey Team as their Head Athletic Therapist, I am very fortunate to have the staff that I work alongside with on a daily basis. The one thing I have learned from the equipment side was how intricate skate sharpening really is. As "Smitty" put it, it's like a dance! You have to be patient with every step, you have to make sure your lines are smooth, and your pressure of every move has to be consistent. Skate sharpening reminded a lot of when you tape up athletes! There is a standard to exceed, you got to be efficient and timely, and performance can be impacted. One thing about skate sharpening I learned is that you want the edge to last, you want to take into consideration your athletes power to get to the ice, and you want to give them an edge up on their competition! No pun intended!
Truly equipment managers are a jack of all trades and that is what I aspire to be as an Athletic Therapist. Being a jack of all trades is very important in sports no matter what sport or league your apart of. What being a jack of all trades really means is your willingness to learn and wanting to learn.
"Smitty" and I, always joke that "whatever is said [on the headset], stays [on the headset]" and that just shows how strong of a professional relationship we have. Behind the lights and the action of a Junior A Hockey Team lies a very strong bond between an Athletic Therapist and equipment manager! It's a bond that I will cherish and a standard that I now expect from equipment managers. And that's all because of "Smitty"!
The one thing about sports is that there is always an opportunity to grow yourself professionally and personally, there is always an opportunity to give a little more than you thought you could, and there is always an opportunity to expand your connections, you just have to be willing to put yourself out there and continuously seek to learn!
