1) Both of you have trained for multiple teams. Do you like one team better than another? Which is your favorite team to train for? Why?
French: I liked training for both the women’s soccer team and women’s basketball team, but I do really enjoy training for the women’s soccer team because they always seem to need me, which can be fun and pretty tiring at the same time. The soccer team definitely keeps it interesting, that’s for sure. Also, I got to go to the NCAA National Tournament with them last year, which was an incredible experience that they are going to repeat this year.
Steile: I wouldn’t say I like one team more than the other. It’s more about the experience with one over the other. As for the football team, I could probably tell you each and every player’s preference of prevention and past injuries that we should watch out for when playing. With the basketball team, this is my first year and it is definitely a different experience. The basketball team demands less help and it took a little while to get used to it. But both have great players and training for both has been a highlight in my Lawrence experience.
2) What is your favorite tape job? Least favorite?
French: I really enjoy taping ankles probably because that is the main tape job I do. My least favorite is taping wrists. I’ve been training for three years, and I’ve never really fully understood how to tape a wrist.
Steile: The arch tape job is my favorite, and I’m pretty sure all the players know that. There aren’t that many who need that tape job, so when someone does need one, I am more than willing to take the challenge, mostly because I love to make the teardrops. My least favorite is definitely the wrist because it’s boring and often I make it too tight.
3) What is the best part of the job? The worst? Why?
French: The best part, and probably the scariest part, is running out on the field to help someone when he or she gets injured. It’s never good that someone goes down, but it is a real adrenaline rush. The worst is dealing with athletes during games that aren’t going well because they don’t all censor themselves very well. The key is giving them as much attitude as they give you.
Steile: The best parts of my job are definitely the memories I’ll get to leave with and the great relationships a team forms, much like family. I’ll also miss pre-game Sundrop and Uno and the “location.”
The worst part of my job is probably the pain you see in the athletes whether due to a physical injury or a loss to an opposing team.
4) What interested you, and how did you get involved in athletic training?
French: When I was a freshman, I hurt my shoulder pretty badly and spent a lot of time in the training room. I became friends with the head athletic trainer at the time, Erin Buenzli, and she encouraged me to come to the informational meeting about getting the job. Training just seemed like a fun way to meet other athletes, feel involved and help people. It has definitely been one of my favorite experiences in my four years at Lawrence.
Steile: I was an incoming freshman my first year of athletic training and loved football, so when looked into training, there was an opening and I was lucky to receive the position. I honestly couldn’t imagine being a student without also being an athletic trainer. I also have some interest in pursuing a career in athletic training.