Hood makes changes to athletic process

By Braden Weinel//

Although the athletics at Hood College have been drastically altered this fall in order to keep athletes and coaches safe from COVID-19, the sports medicine and athletic training processes have only experienced slight changes.

Last fall, many athletes took advantage of the availability of the athletic trainers, Thomas Chatfield, Jenny Bowker, and Alexandra Martellaro. This year, students will need to schedule a time to meet with a trainer in order to prevent gatherings of people in the training room.

White lines six feet apart indicate where students should stand and wait to enter the training room on the bottom floor of the Ronald J. Volpe Athletic Center.

While athletes can still get attention from trainers, there are some restrictions on what players can do and how coaches run practices. With no games being played until at least Jan. 1, 2021, coaches are doing things a little differently.

In phase one for fall athletics, athletes must socially distance themselves from others, wear masks, and are not allowed to share equipment.

“We’re trying to be conscious too of injuries on the field,” said men’s soccer head coach Kenny Putnam. “We’re trying to push the guys but we’re also trying to be preventative of injuries.”

In seasons past, the men’s soccer team would take ice baths after most practices. This year if a player wishes to do that, they must set up an individual appointment.

The workload of the sports medicine staff is based upon the athletic teams. Normally around this time, fall season competition would begin. But due to the cancellation of games and the no-contact practices, there is very little work between trainers and players.

“Our medical support has not changed; we still fully support our student-athletes to the best of our ability,” Chatfield said. “The big key is now an incredibly increased emphasis on communication on behalf of the student athletes advocating for themselves when something does not feel right.”

Ryan Waugh, a senior member of the men’s soccer team, has a long track record of injuries. He suffered three concussions and a partially torn meniscus over his first three years at Hood.

During his injuries, the trainers have helped Waugh fully recover and he sees them as true allies to the athletes at Hood.

“The trainers provide me with a lot of knowledge, guidance, and help that I definitely would never be able to give myself,” Waugh said.

Athletes who wish to schedule an appointment with a member of the sports medicine team, should visit the Hood College athletics website to contact one of the athletic trainers.