Brockton High School athletic trainer clears the air

The Enterprise of Brockton, Mass.
www.enterprisenews.com

Brockton High School athletic trainer Jeri Connor distances herself from trainers in the news like Brian McNamee
By Bob Stern
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
BROCKTON — Here's a sure-fire way to get Jeri Connor riled: Call her a trainer.
"That definitely gives us a black eye," she said.
Brian McNamee, she ain't.
Her supplies contain no syringes, no performance-enhancing substances, no vials.
Instead, she uses tape, knowledge, counseling and a caring heart to get her charges prepared to play.
"A personal trainer is someone who strictly does exercise programs for anyone," said Connor, who for the last 15 years has been the athletic trainer — that's the term she prefers — at Brockton High School. "An athletic trainer has a much wider spectrum of things to do.
"There's kind of a misunderstanding among the general public what an athletic trainer and a trainer are. They don't differentiate. It's such a loose term."
The title might be misunderstood, but Connor's role is certainly appreciated. It's her mission at Brockton to get the athletes ready to play, often arguing with head coaches, sometimes lecturing athletes but all the time looking out for the best interest of the athlete.
Quick to say she's not a physician, her job entails some of the same responsibilities. It's her job to evaluate injuries when they occur and make recommendations about a rehab program. She constantly monitors the health of the athlete, counsels them on the best way to recuperate and builds up their psyche when they might be feeling down.
It's a long way from just taping ankles.
"The required minimum is a bachelor's degree and to go through an accredited program," she said. "You have to do a 1,000-hour internship working under a certified athletic trainer, and you have to take a certification exam.

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