While most students watch the action unfold on the field, the Sports Medicine Club works tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring athletes stay healthy and game-ready. Under the guidance of athletic trainer and club sponsor Ashley Jenkins (AJ), club members gain hands-on experience in sports medicine, from treating injuries to learning essential medical skills.
Interested in sports and health, freshman Gavin Salem gave the club a chance. Even though joining a high school club can be intimidating as a first-year high schooler, he found the club a welcoming environment.
“I think it’s pretty good being with her as a freshman,” Salem said. “I learned some of the skills pretty quickly, and it’s not really that different just because I’m a freshman. My goal in sports medicine is maybe to be a healthcare worker.”
Through their hands-on experience, members like Salem are exploring potential future careers in medicine, setting a foundation for their academic and professional journeys.
The club’s inclusive atmosphere allows new members to quickly adapt, building both confidence and skills. Beyond the camaraderie, the club also serves as an introduction to careers in healthcare. Each day in the club is a mix of learning and assisting. Club members are involved in everything from helping AJ with tasks in her office to treating athletes and learning medical terminology.
“The club is pretty nice,” Salem said. “Me and the other minions basically just help AJ with things in her office, sometimes treat athletes and learn skills and vocab.”
This dynamic balance of learning and doing helps prepare members for real-world responsibilities in healthcare settings. For long-term members like junior Josh Grove, the club has become more than just an extracurricular activity; it’s a stepping stone to a career.
“I want to study to be an athletic trainer in college and make it my career,” Grove said. Grove, who has been involved for over a year, has found the club to be invaluable in shaping his future goals in sports medicine.
The behind-the-scenes access members receive offers them a unique perspective on the world of sports.
“It’s pretty fun,” Grove noted. “You get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on before, during, and after the games. But it’s also fun in the sense that you get to be around AJ and see how she interacts with other athletes.”
At the heart of the club is AJ, whose leadership is characterized by both authority and humor.
“She has a sibling relationship with everybody,” Grove said. “She’s kind of like the petty cousin that nobody likes and kinda gets on your nerves, but at the same time, she takes care of us and makes sure we’re all good.”
AJ’s unique approach fosters both a sense of responsibility and camaraderie within the club. Her work ethic is also something all members admire.
“She says that the work ethic is ‘hurry up and wait’ because you have to hurry up and get things ready for the game and then wait for something to happen,” Salem shared. The intense pace of preparing for games, followed by the patience required during the games themselves, is a lesson in flexibility and dedication.
AJ’s dedication to her job is unwavering. As the first sponsor of Sports Medicine Club, she has sustained the program for 8 years and going.
“She’s really passionate about what she does. She gets mad at athletes when they don’t take the initiative to take care of themselves,” Grove said. “She wants to see everybody succeed and hates seeing us do anything that won’t make us better student-athletes.”
Her passion isn’t just about winning games; it’s about preparing students for life beyond high school sports. AJ emphasizes the importance of accountability and self-care, knowing that these lessons will serve her athletes long after they leave the field.
“My biggest pet peeve is the lack of responsibility for the student athlete’s health care,” Jenkins said. “At the end of the day, you’re not always going to have an athletic trainer; you’re not always going to have the support system that we have here at UCity.”
As the club continues to grow, its members remain committed to learning, helping and possibly shaping their futures in sports medicine. Whether they pursue careers in athletic training or other healthcare fields, their experiences with AJ and the Sports Medicine Club teaches technical skills and also instills valuable life lessons about teamwork, responsibility and pursuing one’s passions.
“You’re always going to be an athlete, even if you aren’t actively on a team,” Jenkins said. “As long as you’re moving your body, you’re technically an athlete.”