You might have noticed them on the sidelines of local sporting events, but an athletic trainer's job goes beyond taping ankles and treating injured student-athletes on the court or field.  Door County Medical Center Athletic Trainer Dave Stahlke has over 30 years of working at different levels of sports, including USA Hockey and, most recently, the Gibraltar School District.  He says the focus is always on the kids and ensuring they get the proper care to prevent injuries and the subsequent follow-up and rehab if needed. 

Stahlke says he has been dealing recently with three serious ACL injuries to student-athletes at Gibraltar High School that require post-therapy, which includes dry land and bridge programs to facilitate a 7-10 month recovery.  Athletic directors often assist students to ensure they are mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for the lengthy rehabilitation.  Stahlke notes that the most rewarding part of being an athletic trainer for him is connecting with players, coaches, and parents and having success following adversity.  

According to Stahlke, each Door County school is assigned an athletic director at no cost to the school, which is rarely found in other rural areas.  You can listen to the full conversation with Dave Stahlke on the DCMC Community Connections podcast page here.