By Mia Rodriguez
The Rialto High School sports medicine CTE students attended their first sports game at Jehue Middle School as part of the sports medicine internship to gain real-life experience and exposure to a different field of medicine.
This internship consists of attending several sports games at Jehue Middle School. Each student is assigned different days in different sports to go out and help assist Coach Hollin, in treating athletes and getting them back on their feet.
Throughout the school year, 11 sports medicine students have been learning, preparing, and practicing wound care, taping, CPR, and other important skills needed when out in the field. The teacher, Marcella Munoz, has assessed several pull-out days throughout the school year to teach students new skills and allow them to practice for these upcoming days.
Students Ximena Mora, Jessica Armenta, Audrey Marquez, Briyitte Montalvo, and Victoria Cortez attended their first game with the soccer and wrestling team. These students were split up in two groups. Ximena Mora, Jessica Armenta, and Briyitte Montalvo assisted the soccer team and Victoria Cortez and Audrey Marquez assisted the wrestling team.
The first group attending soccer arrived at 3 pm and began their first hour as a student athletic trainer. On the field, there were four teams playing. Their role was to keep their eye on the field as the athletes played. Throughout this time these students paid close attention to the field and looked out for any injuries that needed aid immediately.
Rialto High School senior Ximena Mora gained first-hand experience in treating an athlete. During a game of soccer, an athlete got kicked in the knee and needed ice immediately. Mora placed ice on the injured area and sent the athlete to sit down and rest. “This experience was very nerve-wracking at first because I was worried an athlete was going to get injured badly but in the end no one was seriously injured and it was a calm first day.”
Students are expected to carry around a bag with all materials necessary to take care of a wound or other common injuries. Mora packed her own medical kit with things she thought were most important to her.
Upon arrival, Briyitte Montolvo shared that there were no athletic trainers there to help guide them. “They did not have any athletic trainers at Jehue, there was no one but us, it was our job and full responsibility to treat the athletes.”
Although they had some struggles at first, Coach Hollin was quick to assist the team and assured them they would be provided with everything necessary for the following days on the field.
The second group, Victoria Cortez and Audrey Marquez assisted the middle school wrestling teams. Schools Jehue Middle School, Rialto Middle School, Kolb Middle School, and Frisbie Middle School attended the meeting. This team helped treat a female athlete after she hit her face resulting in a nosebleed. Cortez and Marquez rushed to place a rolled gauze in the athlete's nose to absorb the blood. “It was very stressful as they caught us off guard and we were confused and rushed to go treat the athlete.”