This year, 16 Frenship student athletic trainers attended the West Texas Sports Medicine Society Symposium hosted by Texas Tech Health Sciences. The Tigers competed against other schools in the region securing 2nd place overall, beating their 3rd place finish from last year.
This will be the second time for Frenship’s athletic trainers to advance to the state competition. Head Athletic Trainer Dustin Rush is very proud of the students and the commitment they’ve shown to developing their skills and representing Frenship with excellence.
“Advancing to the state competition for the second time in school history is a huge accomplishment for both the program and the students. It shows that the program is growing, improving, and gaining recognition for their hard work and dedication,” said Rush.
This achievement highlights the dedication and teamwork of our students, as well as the high standards set by the program.
“For the students, it’s an exciting opportunity to showcase their skills at an even higher level and gain valuable experience that can help them in their future careers,” said Rush. “This achievement also brings pride to the school, demonstrating that the sports medicine program is not only competitive but continuing to grow. It's setting up a foundation of a strong tradition and continues to inspire others to get involved!”
During the Symposium there were two sessions. The morning session consisted of breakout classes where students expanded their knowledge in the areas of nutrition, acute emergency care, evaluating injured athletes, and refined their skills in taping athletic injuries. The afternoon session is when the regional competition was held.
The competition featured several key challenges designed to test the students’ knowledge and skills in the field of athletic training. They participated in a quiz bowl, where students answered random questions related to the profession of athletic training. Then they had three challenges, ankle taping challenge, anatomy challenge, and skills challenge. In the ankle taping challenge, students were evaluated on both the quality and speed of their ankle taping technique. Next in the anatomy challenge, students were tasked with identifying various muscles, bones, and joints in the human body. Lastly in the skills challenge, teams were assessed on their ability to collaborate effectively while performing CPR and using an AED on a manikin.
“These events allowed our students to demonstrate their expertise and commitment to the profession, showcasing both individual skill and teamwork under pressure,” said Rush.
Rush believes that opportunities like competing in the symposium help contribute to the students’ growth in sports medicine and athletic training.
“Opportunities like the symposium are vital for students' growth in sports medicine and athletic training. They enhance knowledge and skills through hands-on challenges, develop critical thinking and teamwork, and expose students to industry standards,” said Rush. “These experiences build confidence, improve problem-solving abilities, and better prepare students for future careers in athletic training and/or medicine.”
He hopes that the students will gain confidence in their abilities, grow as leaders, and develop skills that will benefit them both on and off the field.
“As the students continue to prepare for the state competition, I hope they carry forward the importance of teamwork, attention to detail, and staying calm under pressure,” said Rush. “This experience teaches them to trust in their training, embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, and maintain a focus on both individual performance and group collaboration. Most importantly, I want them to remember that each competition is a learning opportunity, and every experience helps prepare them for future careers.”
Now, the students are rigorously preparing for the state competition by sharpening their technical skills, enhancing their knowledge, and working together as a cohesive team.
“We’re dedicating time to practice the key events like the anatomy challenge, ankle taping, and CPR/AED skills to ensure both accuracy and speed. We’re also holding mock competitions to simulate the event environment, helping the students build confidence and improve their performance under pressure. We will be attending another skills challenge in April to help prepare for our upcoming state competition,” said Rush.
While 16 students from Frenship competed in the qualification round, only six students are allowed to compete at the state competition in May. To narrow down the team, Rush will be hosting study sessions and a mini competition later this spring to help determine the six students to represent the Frenship Sports Medicine Program.
We want to congratulate all 16 of the Frenship students who competed in the West Texas Sports Medicine Society Symposium:
- Addison Crockett, senior
- Taylor Cunningham, senior
- Ariana Hartfield, senior
- Addison Hutchison, senior
- Jackson Hutchison, senior
- Ariana Lopez, senior
- Jaiden Montoya, senior
- Mason Patterson, senior
- William "Liam" Patterson, senior
- Connor Styles, senior
- Cameron Chapa, junior
- Leighton Kacal, sophomore
- Kamri Turner, sophomore
- Payton Arebalo, freshman
- Analia Garcia, freshman
- Wyatt Prestridge, freshman
Great work, Frenship Sports Medicine! We are proud of your hard work and are looking forward to cheering you on at the State Competition.