Frantically running up and down the football field dressed in their Polo shirts and khakis, the students constantly give water to the players. Not only do they give them water, but they also watch for potential injuries. These students are known as the trainers.

Junior Jordyn Miller is in the midst of her third year of being a trainer.

“I enjoy the experiences some might not be able to experience in high school,” Miller said. “You learn a lot about the sports you’re working and about the injuries most commonly found in that sport.”

Daniel Scalia, the head trainer, has overseen the trainers for three and a half years and loves his career.

“I truly enjoy working with high school kids, and I have always wanted to be involved with this age group,” Scalia said.  “I love our kids.They are all unique individuals with their own personalities. They are hard workers who always find new ways to surprise me with their dedication and work ethic.”

Being a trainer consists of some stressful things, like dealing with fractures, concussions, dislocations, torn muscles, etc. The students must attend practices and games.

“This is a very stressful job from time to time especially when you take into account some of the major injuries we deal with,” Scalia said.  “But at the same time, I feel that the service I provide is completely worth every second.”

Since training requires many long hours spent with Scalia and the other trainers, most of the students have close bonds with each other and “Mr. S.”

“I really respect Mr. S for everything he does for the program,” said Alex Penn, a junior and a newcomer to the training team.

Scalia really has a heart for working with these students and enjoys building the close relationships with them.

“Even though everyone of them can tell you that they were scared of me at some point or that I yell, aka. talk loud enough to be understood, I would like to think that we all have a good relationship and that even though we pick on each other from time to time, we are always having a good time,” Scalia said.

Because of their training and practice, students are able to tell how bad an injury truly is when it occurs.

“If someone gets hurt at practice, we are there to evaluate the injury, determine whether or not it is a medical emergency and if it needs to be seen by a doctor right away or if it can wait,” Scalia said. “We also call the parents and inform them of what is happening and try to give them the best advice we can on the next step to take care of their child.”

Even though the trainers have a tough job and are constantly busy on game days, they get the best view of the game.

“My favorite thing is that I get to watch our athletes here at KPHS play, compete, and win,” Scalia said. “I am a huge sports fan and love seeing our school compete and excel in athletics. We truly have amazing kids and teams here and I love being apart no matter how big or small it is.”

Although many people think the trainers only hand out water, that is only one part of the job.

“We don’t just hand out water,” Miller said. “We actually learn a lot about the body and what to do in any situation. We are also trained in CPR.”

While spending time with the trainers is not always fun for the athletes when keeps them off the playing field, Scalia said they do all they can to get them back on the field healthy and quickly.

“We are here for our athletes and want them to know that our goal in the athletic program is not to hold you out, but to get you to be the best you can be,” Scalia said. ”