Walking into an athletic training room, many would feel swamped. With the countless rolls of tape stacked up, numerous tables ready to treat anyone and all different types of recovery items scattered throughout the space, a person might feel overwhelmed by these items everywhere.
To many athletes, however, this is their safe space, and the people providing these items are just as important. The athletic training staff here at Eastern University has helped numerous athletes, and their efforts often go unnoticed. They are, in essence, the “unsung heroes” of the university’s athletic successes.
One team in particular that has had success is the newly formed football team. In their second-ever varsity season, the team finished with a .500 record and 5-4 in conference play. Players credit this success to the help of an outstanding training staff and facility.
“The staff is a big help to all of the players on the team,” return specialist Chris Rivera said. “They take up a good portion of their time to help us and truly helped everyone whether they were hurting mentally or physically.”
Throughout the ups and downs of a football season, players may feel they need physical and mental support, but often do not know where to go for help. Besides taping ankles and wrists, Eastern University trainer Courtney Killian, the football team’s athletic trainer, assists her athletes with the physical and mental care they need to succeed on and off the field. She provides them with multiple resources, such as the UWill program for mental health support, and connects them with campus resources to excel in their classes.
Many players attribute Killian’s support to their success this past season. “She’s like another mother,” running-back Jeremiah “PJ” Avrillien said. “Her training room is like a second home for us, and we are allowed to be ourselves and feel safe there.”
Other athletes at Eastern would agree with Avrillien. It is one of the reasons Killian says she wanted to become an athletic trainer when she was in high school. “I thought about physical training at first, but I fell in love with being involved with athletics. Being an athletic trainer is a unique profession, and I get to see my athletes through their best and worst days but still get to help them no matter what,” she said.
Killian’s role as an athletic trainer holds true to the goals of being one set by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. NATA states, “As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include primary care, injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.”
Many of her athletes would agree that she exhibits all of these qualities and even goes above and beyond by building strong connections with them.
Killian has always tried to build connections with all her athletes, and she feels that this is one of the most rewarding parts of her job. “It can be a challenge too,” she said. “Having kids that rely on you for issues other than injuries can be a challenge, but at the end of the day, it is still rewarding to know that they trust you.”
“She is always full of positivity and it helps us a lot,” Riviera, who is recovering from an ankle injury, said. Killian helped him by always making time for him to get in the room to get his treatment, and helped him not feel overwhelmed when he would be running late to practices. Similarly, junior offensive lineman Christian Slayton also stated that Killian was always there for him to calm him down when he was stressed about his ACL injury.
“When I was on the ground in a ton of pain when I tore my ACL, she was the first one to help me calm down,” Slayton said. “Ms. Courtney was there for me when it happened and she is there for me now, even though she is not the trainer who was assigned to help me through rehab.”
Killian’s efforts do not go unnoticed. Athletes feel their connection to her has led the football team and other teams on campus to success. She has been an ‘unsung hero’ to Eastern University, but in athletes’ hearts, she is one of the biggest superheroes.
Shelby Sweeney 
Josh Steen 
Jeff Day