Room for Improvement

R ovement fo R I mp R oom

In his 22nd year at York College, Chad Karcher is as steady as they come in the Panther Athletic Department. A certified athletic trainer and instructor, Karcher has seen YC athletics grow from around 150 student-athletes in 1999 to more than 350 in 2020. The wrestling programs alone have added 60+ athletes, all of whom at one time or another will more than likely require the services of the Panther athletic training staff.

Karcher has wrapped hundreds of knees, taped even more ankles, and has had ample share of caring for, treating, and rehabilitating a vast variety of other athletic injuries and ailments. When asked to estimate how many rolls of tape he has gone through at YC, he laughed and said, "I get that question often, and can never really give a clear-cut answer." However, being a guru for organization, and with his known diligence for record keeping and attention to detail, he added, "Let me get back to you on that in a day or two and I should be able to give you a number that's pretty close."

The world of athletic training goes far beyond what meets the eye. Recognizing and evaluating athletic injuries is an art and science in and of itself. Ensuring a proper diagnosis or including appropriate further medical referral when necessary, is an integral aspect of the business that can have long-term implications. Educating and being that liaison to the athletes, coaches, parents, faculty/administration, and medical community are also necessity. "We as a department have built a great working relationship with the York General Hospital Physical Therapy Dept., York Medical Clinic, and the orthopods of the Lincoln Orthopedic Center who serve their specialty clinic," Karcher commented, "This has been paramount in assuring quality medical attention for the athletes of YC."

For Karcher, sharing this invaluable expertise surpasses the “9-5” job description.

“Chad's service here extends beyond student-athletes,” said Jared Stark, vice-president for enrollment and athletics. “Alumni still contact him today looking for his thoughts on an injury. He has been more than willing to treat anyone from campus even faculty and staff. He responds to anyone at York College who has a question, and he is happy to do it.”

Jordan (Veness ’12) Irsik, an adjunct chemistry instructor at YC and head women's soccer coach at College of Saint Mary, was an athlete and student trainer under Karcher. "Chad is one of the best athletic trainers I’ve ever gotten to work with," said Irsik. "He gives student-athletes a top level experience with

Chad Karcher in his 22nd year as the Panther’s certified athletic trainer and instructor. He has a MEd. in Curriculum & Instruction through Doane College and earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education/Health and Athletic Training from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He obtained his certification as a physical therapy assistant in Kansas in 1993 and gained instructor certification status in CPR/First Aid in 2000. Chad also currently coordinates and administers an athletic training outreach program in conjunction with York General Hospital and Fillmore County Hospital, serving five area high schools. He is responsible for creating the athletic training minor and has had several students go on to become certified athletic trainers after completing a masters program.

Prior to coming to York College, Chad spent 7 years working in physical therapy through both the Fillmore County Hospital, Geneva, Neb., and York Physical Therapy in rehabilitation and as the coordinator for a local high school outreach program serving 14 area high schools on an athletic training consultation basis. He and his wife Joni, a special education teacher and assistant track coach at Fillmore Central Public Schools, Geneva, Neb., have three boys: (l-r) Kyle, Kurt, and Kole. limited resources and space, and I often find myself reaching out to him. He has impacted my life immensely and has done so for so many others.”

The demands are high, but Karcher loves the challenge… to a point. "Athletic training extends further than that of just directly managing injuries," said Karcher. "We take great pride in giving our students who are interested in the profession the opportunity to get a quality base-line knowledge and experience as student athletic trainers to potentially pursue their goals further in a graduate program of their choice. "I will say, that due to the increased professional marketability for athletic trainers, interest in the profession has increased. Getting one or two student trainers, my assistant and I, and 4-6 (to maybe 8 or 10) student-athletes at a time into a functional capacity space of about 375 sq. feet has realistically become a logistical obstacle for us as a department.

“We really need more room and equipment to meet the needs of our increased student-athletes,” added Karcher. "Twenty years ago, the space allocated in the Freeman Center was adequate, and we made do by utilizing every square foot available and stretching every dollar spent."

Then he added with a wry grin, “It’s really not acceptable moving forward. As we grow our athletic programs, we must provide the best care possible for every athlete.”

That sentiment captured the attention of the York College trustees in a recent meeting on campus. Touring the athletic training facilities and seeing firsthand the needs of the program led them to begin discussions on expansion and combining that need with the wrestling program’s dream of a dedicated practice room.

An early estimate puts a $750,000 price tag on a Freeman Center expansion that would address the two long-overdue needs of an athletic training room and wrestling practice room. For Karcher, it would be a huge step in the right direction and would validate what he has been building for 22 years.

“Getting my mind around this is almost surreal,” said Karcher. “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time and can’t happen soon enough.” n