Issue date: 3/12/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Karli McAllister SBCC's only full-time certified trainer Susan Holihan-Davis works carefully with volleyball player Bryce Window on his injured rotator cuff last week in training room.

Officials are gearing up to hire an additional $65,000 full-time athletic trainer to keep up with the health needs of the burgeoning number of student athletes.

"It's a big step in the right direction," said Susan Houlihan-Davis, the college's only full-time athletic trainer. "I am only Band-Aiding them because I'm on to the next table. When they need 20 minutes of treatment, they're only getting 10."

Sports advocates say that when it comes to college athletics, physicality is paramount. Athletic Director Mike Warren presented a case for a new athletic trainer at the Board of Trustee's Feb. 14 study session. The Board of Trustees apparently voted to approve the new position on Feb.28, although the position itself was not listed on the official agenda.

Sue Erhlich, Vice president of legal affairs and human resources, said Monday that instead, the board approved the measure under "an allocation of funds" item that was understood to be for the new position.

The search for a new athletic trainer began on Monday, and Warren indicated that it may take three to four weeks to gather qualified candidates for the position.

The college now has about 350 student athletes playing 17 sports, including cheerleading.

With today's athletes becoming more conscious of their bodies, the training room has become an extremely busy place. Houlihan-Davis said she often finds herself overloaded with athletes needing treatment.

"It's very upsetting to me because I'm a perfectionist," she said.

When Warren proposed the idea to the board, he cited the National Athletic Trainers Association's recommendation of having one full-time athletic trainer for every four teams.

"It's a health and safety issue," Warren said. "We're one of the only schools in our conference with just one [full-time athletic trainer]."

Houlihan-Davis' job consists of more than just treating athletes. She is also responsible for teaching her six student trainers the tricks of the trade, something that has become increasingly difficult with her complex schedule.

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