Any student athlete can attest to the fact that after many hours of strenuous work and long days of practice that an unexpected injury can completely break down any structure of ability or measure of desire.
It’s these days that athletes rely on the fervor and strength of their training facility, the knowledge of their trainers and faith of the equipment. ‘The temple,’ as some would call it, becomes a rehabilitation center for every athlete. UCI has offered these services and strengths to each of its athletes since 1968. It has recently been remodeled and moved to the upper level of the athletic complex at UCI and renamed The Carlos A. Prietoo Sports Medicine Center.
The New University recently had the opportunity to speak with sports medicine intern Brock Rutherford, a graduate of Humboldt State University who is currently studying for his masters degree in kinesiology at Cal State Fullerton. He provided his thoughts about the direction the program will take over the next year.
New University: Which sports do you cover in the training room?
Brock Rutherford: My primary sport is men’s soccer. I’m also over men’s tennis and men’s and women’s golf as well.
New U.: What are some of the improvements that we’ll see over the next year or so?
Rutherford: We had such an improvement from downstairs to upstairs. We have one of the best sports medicine facilities in our conference, if not the best one.
New U.: What can we expect from the student trainers next year in comparison to those of this year?
Rutherford: This year we had a big group of student trainers. They all gained a lot of great experience this year. We implemented a new competency system, which ultimately helped everyone with experience and the amount of information they were actually learning. We had a really strong student base. As for next year, as the student trainers gain more experience in the training office, they take on more duties and higher-risk injury sports. So because we had a large group we may be taking in entry level trainers.
New U.: What are your goals as an athletic trainer? How will your position here at UCI help you in the future?
Rutherford: Well, right now my position is an athletic trainer intern. So my goal is not only to gain more experience with division one athletics but also to use my experience here as a stepping stone to a more full-time position.
