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COMMUNITY NEWS
Aptos High Sports Medicine: 200 Grads
n the fall of 1990, under the direction of newly-minted Head Athletic Trainer Diana Roberts and Athletic Director Mark Dorfman, and with the support and guidance of Dr. Joe Fogel, Aptos High started the first Student Athletic Training Program in Santa Cruz County. Since then, more than 200 students have participated in the program, and 97% of the participants have gone on to
2- and 4-year colleges and universities. In addition, subsequently, every high school ASK in the county has established their own student athletic training program. Four Aptos High students, Abel Corona, Suzanne Dunbar, Carrie Helber, and Trish Van Lanen gambled and enrolled in the new program in fall 1990. To prepare them for their new class and responsibilities, Mark Dorfman drove
the four students to Los Angeles over the summer, where they took a threeday athletic training seminar at UC Irvine. The students stayed in the dorms and attended three days of lectures and workshops, including CPR certification. Once back in Aptos, the four helped Diana Roberts in the Athletic Training Room and on the sidelines of games and practices, taping, icing, and hydrating athletes, all under her watchful eye. All four matriculated to college. Abel graduated from UC Davis, Suzanne Photo Credit: Denise Russo Photography from Seattle Pacific UniStudent trainers (from left): Bottom — Alia Gonzalez, Jaylen Dang, versity, Carrie from CSU Anthony Smith, and Guin Lines. • Top — Jillian Weisner, Nadia RamirezLong Beach, and Trish Cerrillos, Riley Carrera, Lexiss Herrera, and Leyla Martinez. from San Francisco State (where she played volleyball for four UC Santa Barbara, CalPoly SLO, San Franyears). cisco State, San Diego State, San Jose State, Suzanne and Carrie continued as Fresno State, Chico State, Arizona State, the trainers at their respective colleges, and University of Maine, the University of WashSuzanne also got a job as an aide at Adams ington, the University of San Diego, Boise and Schmidt Physical Therapy in Capitola. State University, Santa Clara University, These four were the groundbreakers in a Mills College, St. Mary’s College, University groundbreaking program. of San Francisco, and many more. Today, Abel is a dental hygienist, Like Abel, Suzanne, and Carrie, many Suzanne is in senior management for a of the graduates stayed in the health cardiac management program for doctors field, becoming doctors, nurses, physician and medical clinics, Carrie works in man- assistants, physical therapists, X-ray techagement at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in LA, nicians, and athletic trainers. and Trish is an accountant. Three out of It’s not a program for the faint of heart. four into the medical field. Maybe not a In addition to working in the training grand slam, but definitely a triple. room after the school day ends, the The program has grown and thrived, student trainers also work the sidelines at and the Aptos Student Athletic Training afternoon and evening practices and games Program has seen its students attend col- throughout the week, including Saturdays. leges and universities all over the state and “Sports Medicine” page 9 the nation, including UC Berkeley, UCLA,
Heritage Holiday Craft & Gift Fair
Dec 3 & 4 - Noon to 9pm
With Holiday Lights Walk Thru Each Evening Visit fairgrounds-foundation.org for complete information for both events • Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds 6 / December 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
