Student athletic trainers are an essential part of the sports at DP. They are filling up the water jugs, working a game, attending to athletes by stretching, taping, and icing them, and generally assisting the athletic trainer, Wendy.
Three of the current athletic trainers, Kimberly Melena-Gonzalez (12), Mariela Rios (12), and Yvonne Govea, are in their second year working with Wendy. They work behind the scenes at most sports games.
“It’s been interesting,” Mariela said. “You see a lot of what goes on behind the scenes. You get to learn how to talk to people, how to be more social, and how to deal with stuff. You have to learn how to keep a straight face and serious situations can be a little stressful sometimes.”
The student trainers get the opportunity to learn from Wendy while investing many hours. This is a unique experience for these individuals since not everyone gets to be a student trainer during their high school years. The training room gives them the opportunity to be in an “internship” scenario, possibly going into this field, it gives them a jumpstart to their career.
The trainers get to work with the athletes, and also assist with injuries. “I had to hold his arm and try to stand him up while not hurting him, which was hard. And then probably that one kid who broke his nose last year, that was bad,” Mariela said.
“At the beginning of this year this football guy broke his arm,” Kimberly said, “and it was bent in a way that it shouldn’t have been.” The student trainers get to assist first hand as Wendy tends to the athletes injuries.
Reflecting on their experiences, Kimberly said, “I love working and learning with Wendy, [and] getting to experience this career field.”

The student trainers, Yvonne Govea (left), Kimberly Melena-Gonzalez (middle), and Mariela Rios (right) share their experience and perspective working with the athletes and the head athletic trainer, Wendy Whitehead.