Whether they are on the field during a game or in the athletic trainer’s office, the athletic trainers are ready to tend to players that need their help.

Grayslake North is home to many clubs and after school activities, one being athletic training. Athletic training is run by two people, Brandon Lofthouse and Caitlin Bender. Together they work with athletes on injuries and they train with how to deal with said injuries.

“I would say we have about ten student athletic trainers. This is the biggest year we’ve had the most consistency,” Bender said.

Students who are interested in being an athletic trainer can sign up in the beginning of the year or when new seasons are starting. Students also have the option to leave when they need to due to other school activities the students are involved in.

“An athletic trainer is responsible for treating any injuries an athlete suffers during a game or practice, helping them prepare for practice. Athletic trainers also help athletes with any rehab and physical therapy and also set up for practices,” said junior trainer Vincent Stolle.

During a game or practice, athletic trainers must always be near the field. In the event of a player injury, they are to run onto the field and aid the injured. When not helping an athlete who is been injured, the rest of the student athletic trainers must keep an eye out for any behavior that players show that would mean that they have been hurt.

“They know to pick things out for us that maybe we didn’t see. We had for instance last year actually where both of us [Mr Lofthouse and Mrs. Bender] were attending serious injuries and one of our students noticed one of our athletes drinking strangely, kind of like he wasn’t going back all the way, going to the side to drink. She went up to him and said something. He ended up having a pretty serious neck injury, if he ended up going back into the game we might not have had a very good outcome. She helped save a life that day,” Bender said.

The student athletic trainers are there to help in case both Mrs. Bender or Mr. Lofthouse are already busy. They help with stretching out athletes, icing them, and more. They work as a group to help the school’s athletes.

“My favorite thing about being an athletic trainer is the fact that I get to help people and be there for people all the time. I love the exposure I get to what I might do in the future. It has been an amazing experience for me because I a m learning more and more every day that I can apply to real life situations,” said sophomore Victor Solano