Athletic trainers help WU players heal, get back on the courts
Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 9:51AM By Jeremy Wynder
Special to The Johnsonian
For most of the fall sports teams at Winthrop the season is in full swing.
That means multiple games each week along with practice and, for some, daily trips to the training room.
Injured athletes receive top notch care from the Winthrop University Athletic Training program.
The head athletic trainer at Winthrop is Jeff Lahr. Lahr has served at Winthrop for 17 years.
During that time, the Athletic Training program at Winthrop has experienced much growth. When Lahr arrived at Winthrop from North Carolina Central, the program only consisted of him and two graduate assistants.
Now, Lahr has four full-time assistant athletic trainers and three graduate assistants. This allows for each team to have its own trainer.
Although the trainers have to attend practice and rehab injured players, they also have to do many other things including ordering supplies and scheduling weekly visits with physicians.
Another key part of the Athletic Training program is the student trainers.
Winthrop offers athletic training as a major. The program has been going on for only six years, but has seen many students move on to find jobs all over America.
“We’ve done pretty well with students we’ve placed in different positions,” said Lahr.
When students enter the major they are assigned to specific sports teams for a specific time.
Some students are even sent to area high schools to assist them with football.
One of those students is Kasey West a senior athletic training major.
Last year, West spent most of her time at the Coliseum taping members of the Men’s basketball team.
This semester she’s serving at Clover High School.
“It’s more hectic working with their football team, and there are just a lot more athletes to deal with on a daily basis, compared to the basketball team last year,” West said.
West plans to attend the Medical University of South Carolina after graduating from Winthrop.
“My dream job is to become a Physical Therapist and open up my own clinic, or even working for a professional sports team,” Westsaid.
West is just one of many student trainers who can be seen in the crowded Winthrop training room.
Lahr believes the current training room can be a little cramped at times.
“It’s nice, but it’s too small,” he said.
Aside from that, all seems well for Lahr and the Athletic Training program at Winthrop.
“The most enjoyable part is the friendships, getting to know athletes. They know you care,” he said.
One such friendship is Lahr’s relationship with Kevin Slowey of the Minnesota Twins.
Slowey played at Winthrop until 2005.
“He still sends me Christmas Cards,” Lahr said.
Lahr said he is always looking for assistants. Any student can help out no matter the major.
If interested, contact Lahr at 323-2129 ext. 6248 or at lahrj@winthrop.edu.
