Bluffton University Athletic Training Looks Towards Strong Future

The construction of the new locker room will help out the athletic trainers

The future outlook for Bluffton University athletic training looks very bright due to a young, energized staff that has a passion for athletic training and the promise of a new recreation center that will be a tremendous help to the trainers.

The head athletic trainer Tyler Schlosser and assistant athletic trainer Kim Ricker, both still in their twenties, are both passionate about their jobs. This means that they plan to stay at Bluffton and work with Beaver athletes for many years. “Bluffton is a great place to work. The coaches are very cooperative in that what we tell them about an athlete goes. Very rarely do they try to argue with our judgment which makes for a great work environment,” said Schlosser. With the stability of a permanent staff, this also ensures the jobs of student athletic trainers. Both Schlosser and Ricker depend heavily on their student assistants and help out in the process of replacing graduating students.

The new recreation center has yet to undergo construction but when it is built, it will be an enormous help to Bluffton training. The new center will provide the trainers with a completely new training room and rehabilitation center which will be an asset in providing the athletes with the best care Bluffton University can provide.

A Glance at the Past of Athletic Training at Bluffton University

Very little has changed in the 40+ years of the training room.

For more than forty years, injured athletes at Bluffton University have been walking to the lower level of Burcky Addition to find an athletic trainer to receive treatment for their injuries.

Athletic training was started in Bluffton based on need. Bluffton University recognized how crucial it is for an athlete to receive treatment as soon as he or she is injured in order to prevent the risk of further worsening the injury due to excess time before treatment. Student athletic training was added over a decade later as the head trainer realized the need for assistants to do simple tasks to make his job easier.

In recent history, the current head athletic trainer certified is Tyler Schlosser and he has been with Bluffton for a little over two years. Before Schlosser, current Bluffton University athletic director Phill Talavinia served as the head athletic trainer for 18 years.

The athletic training room and rehabilitation center have been in the lower level of Burcky Addition since athletic training formally started. A new recreation center is in the works that will ultimately move the athletic training facilities into the new building. However, the date on this project is yet to be determined.

Tyler Schlosser: The Unsung Hero of Bluffton Athletics

Tyler D. Schlosser, head athletic trainer at Bluffton University, works hard from the athletic training room to help injured athletes get back in the game. He may be just an ordinary man but to hurt players, he is a hero.

Schlosser is the head athletic trainer at Bluffton University meaning he oversees rehabilitation, treatment, the diagnosing of injured athletes and supervises the student athletic trainers. The specific sports Schlosser works with are football, men’s basketball and softball. For these sports, he goes to all practices and games to ensure excellent treatment can be given to the injured athlete as soon as he or she gets hurt. He came to Bluffton in August 2006 and became the head athletic trainer in November 2007.

To achieve his goal of being a college athletic trainer, Schlosser went to earn his bachelor’s degree in exercise science with an emphasis in athletic training at the University of Toledo, Schlosser earned his master’s degree in kinesiology and health promotion from the University of Kentucky.

“I enjoy being a part of Bluffton athletics and my part of being in the support system that helps keep the athletes healthy and in the game,” said Schlosser of his work.

A Day in the Life of a Student Athletic Trainer

Heath Underwood #96, Alec Stewart-Evans #53, Jerry Stone #63, Bryan Heckathorn #69, Kristie Corney, Jordan Achtermann #54, Aaron Jenkins #57, Dave Himmeger #94, Justin Crosier #91, Stephen Miller #31, Dearl Goins #52, Phil Gaulin #95

Working as a student athletic trainer at Bluffton University is an exciting job, whether in the training room or on the athletic field according to sophomore Kristie Corney, a football, men’s basketball and baseball athletic trainer.

No one can see the future, so athletic trainers must always be prepared to deal with injuries. “You never know what is going to happen when you head out to practice or to a game. I, of course, hope that none of my boys gets hurt but I always have to be on my toes in case something does happen,” said Corney.

Even though Corney has only been working in the training room for less than a year, she has seen her share of injuries and excitement. “I had to call 9-1-1 once and describe a situation as it was happening; it was pretty scary because I didn’t know if he [the injured person] was going to be okay,” said Corney, about her most exciting moment on the job. A job like this requires her to stay calm through the assortment of injuries she encounters including jammed fingers, broken bones, concussions, torn ligaments, sprained ankles, seizures, asthma attacks, cuts and blisters.

Football season brought the most injuries for her to deal with. This is not a surprise as there are many more people to get injured on the football team than on the basketball or baseball teams. “During football I was always cleaning up blood, re-taping ankles, fingers and wrists and running for ice bags but I didn’t mind because I care about my boys [the defensive linemen] and it kept me busy,” said Corney.

“Although we work long hours, I wouldn’t trade my job for any other because of the unique experiences of caring for the athletes and bonding with the other trainers,” stated Corney about her feelings about her job.