Jul 19, 2018Four Athletic Trainers Hired
After a year with only one part-time athletic trainer covering its teams, the Pueblo City (Colo.) Schools’ board of education voted to allocate $250,000 into its budget in order to hire four full-time athletic trainers.
According to the Pueblo Chieftain, in the 2017-18 school year, the district only had one part-time trainer, with the other three part-time positions remaining vacant.
Dennis Maes, a member of the board, questioned why the district was spending so much on athletic trainers, even though he ultimately voted to approve the expenditure.
“There’s no question in my mind of the value of athletic trainers,” Maes said. “But was there any thought given to having other departments or disciplines have some input into what they might be able to do with that additional money?”
Charlotte Macaluso, Superintendent, told Maes that the issue is about what the district needs, and providing athletic trainers is “a need that (she) believe(s) is long overdue.”
Bobby Gonzales, a former D60 coach and educator, said having athletic trainers would reduce the risk to the students, and by extension, the district.
“It’s a huge liability,” Gonzales said. “We’re sitting on a time bomb. It takes just one kid to die on that football field or soccer field with a head injury.”
