Sunbury Mayor Tommy Hatfield has presented Big Walnut High School athletic trainers Lori Siegel and Nate Clements with a mayoral proclamation recognizing their efforts, and the efforts of athletic trainers everywhere, as part of National Athletic Trainers Month.
Siegel and Clements are employed full time by Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the sports medicine department, and serve as athletic trainers for all Big Walnut athletics – high school and middle school. Throughout the year, between sports seasons and in the summertime, they work at the Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Clinic.
Clements earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in athletic training at the University of Findlay. Siegel completed her undergraduate work at Slippery Rock University and earned her master’s degree at West Virginia University.
Clements, new to Big Walnut this school year, said with more sports being played at the high school level and many students competing year round, there are more and different sports injuries than in past years, including overuse injuries.
“Athletic trainers are the first line of defense,” Clements said. “Once an injured athlete has seen a physician, we’re here to help with the rehabilitation of injuries. That’s the part I like most about being an athletic trainer — rehabilitation — getting kids back on the field or court and playing the sports they love.”
Siegel said the certified athletic trainer field is growing, with more athletic trainers going into nontraditional settings like NASA, dance and industrial settings.
