In honor of National Native American Heritage Month in November, NATA Now is highlighting some of NATA’s Native/Indigenous American members and their impact on the athletic training profession.
Mentorship can have a lifelong effect on a person’s professional path, as seen in the story of Annaliese Andersen, CSCS, athletic training student at San Diego State University in California.
Having an athletic training mentor exposed Andersen to opportunities as an AT student aide and athlete at a rural high school in Texas.
In addition, Andersen found the connection and growth opportunities athletic training offered most attractive.
“I loved the variety of day-to-day rhythms and the close relationships I saw develop with the student athletes,” she said. “I knew from the beginning that I wanted to be a part of an evolving profession; I didn’t want to end up stagnant in my career 10 years into my profession.”
Andersen also found herself drawn to the diversity of people and settings within athletic training.
“I don’t know who I will be in 20 years, but I know this profession will grow with me when I get there,” she said.
Andersen, who’s currently considering the armed forces setting, delves into her career development below.
What does a typical day as an AT student look like?
I am in my second year of a Master of Science in Athletic Training program at San Diego State University. My typical day varies greatly. A true AT answer: it depends. I have classes two days a week and clinicals three to four days a week depending on the circumstances. My clinical rotation this year is at a Division II university. I am generally at my site in the mornings. Mornings look like pre-practice set up, taping, rehab and evaluations, especially for track and cross-country athletes. After the morning rush, I get to see the post-operative student athletes. By 10 a.m., it’s a revolving door. Sometimes it’s pre-game or pre-travel prep; sometimes it’s post-practice treatment, rehab and evaluations. I do most of my class work in the afternoons after leaving my site. I travel on some weekends for closer travel games, depending on the team and the demands.
What setting are you most interested in pursuing and why?
I’m passionate about pursuing the military setting. I love the diversity of the military setting even from one command to another. The military setting is not as universal as some people may think. There are differences within the military such as being an embedded AT who works in the field with the unit, working within the different branches or within the different mission sets. I really love the diversity of the population, their needs and the dynamic demands of an AT in the setting. I did my summer clinical immersion with the United States Marine Corps School of Infantry – East, in Camp Geiger, North Carolina. I got to work with active-duty Marines at various stages of their career. I loved leaving knowing I made a difference in someone’s day and potentially, their entire military career.
Who has been your biggest influence in athletic training so far?
I have been very lucky to have many amazing influences in athletic training up to this point in my life. For me to name just one would discredit the dozens of others who have inspired, pushed and molded me into the clinician I am and will become. But to name a few, my largest career influences would have to be my preceptors from the U.S. Marine Corps School of Infantry – East; Chris Clark, ATC, Tristan Rodik, MAT, ATC, CSCS, and Konstandena Brown, MS, LAT, ATC. The three of them have given me every tool I need to be successful in the tactical setting. They challenged me to reach the potential they saw in me and never let me use their experiences as a crutch for my own inexperience.
Why is representation in athletic training important and how does it impact the profession?
Representation in athletic training is important because if someone has never seen someone who looks like them, thinks like them or experiences life like them thrive in a space, they may not believe there is room for them in that space. Being able to do something that I love and represent my heritage is something I take immense pride in. My culture and heritage have shaped who I am today, and I hope to continue that and inspire others like me.
What do you look forward to the most as a future AT?
I look forward to being in a position to not only impact my patients, but also invest in the education of other students. The greatest impact that can be had on the profession is being a great clinician who grows other great clinicians. I look forward to building my own knowledge, competence, and experience to be able to share with the next generation of clinicians. I was beyond fortunate to have people invest in me, and I want to be in a place to invest in others and keep the chain going.
What impact do you hope to have on the profession?
When my career is finished, I hope my lasting impact is advocacy. Advocacy for the military population, advocacy for the clinician and advocacy for the profession. Right now, it’s very easy to say I hope to go into research one day and become a producer of emerging information rather than just a consumer. I want to be a preceptor one day, and I want to become an expert on the military population. All those things are true, but someone will always know more, do more and learn more. And that is okay, but I want my impact to be that I advocated for the patients who needed more than I could offer, people who knew more than me, and the profession that is more than just me or any one person.
