The Collegian

Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Melissa Plond

At 1 p.m. the student-athletes start pouring into the training room for all sorts of ailments-from getting ankles wrapped, to rehabilitation for previous injuries, to icing their aches and pains.

From 1 p.m. until sports practices end, sometimes around 9 or 10 p.m., serves as a "rush hour" for Hillsdale College trainers Lynne Neukom and Gus Hemingway.

Another responsibility the trainers take care of include teaching an athletic training class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Neukom and Hemingway also travel with the football team during the season.

"We are here a few hours before the game to get the athletes ready and the fields set up," Hemingway said. "Then we'll be here 45 minutes to an hour after the game to clean everything up."

Having such a tight schedule has been more manageable with Neukom as the head trainer this year, Hemingway said.

Last year, the full-time trainer and one of the part-time trainers both left mid-year, leaving Hemingway and Neukom alone both as just part-time trainers. This year, they both return as full-time trainers.

"Last year was an interesting year," Hemingway said. "[Lynne] came as a part-time trainer last year, but kind of took over the full-time role. I think things have run much more smoothly this year than last."

Even the athletes have noticed the improvement in the organization of the training room, said junior quarterback Troy Weatherhead, a regular in the training-room regular.

"[Lynne] keeps it much more organized, and she's really on top of things; she knows what to do, when to do it and how to do it," he said. "Having two full-time trainers keeps everything going better in there to make sure everyone gets the attention they need."

Though Neukom said they have dealt with numerous injuries this year, there haven't been any more than average.

"It's just normal," Neukom said. "It's what you see everyday."

Despite having to run the training room and organize and administer health care for all of the athletes, Weatherhead said the trainers take care of everything in a timely fashion.

"They do a good job making sure they get you back on the field pretty quick, so that's a credit to them for sure," he said. "I haven't missed any games because of injuries."

Both Neukom and Hemingway said they enjoy working in the training room.

"I love the kids and like working with them," Neukom said. "It's also nice for me because I went to school here; so it's nice to in a small way give back."

Hemingway agreed saying that students often come in skeptical, not knowing whether or not to expect the treatments to work.

"I enjoy helping the athletes overcome their injuries and watching them get out and perform the way they did before their injury," he said. "I especially like it when, after a treatment, the athlete smiles and says 'Wow! That actually worked!'"

Even though the situation in the training room has improved tremendously from last year, Hemingway said it could be even better.

"I think things could run even more smoothly with another third full-time or even just a part-time would be helpful," he said.

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