Nearly two million high school athletes are injured annually while playing a sport. For senior Eily Diener, this sparked a passion for sports medicine. As an assistant to the school’s athletic trainer, Americ Alvarado, Diener has spent the past year learning to take care of athlete

s before and after games.

“I kept getting injured when I played soccer, basketball and lacrosse,” Diener said. “[When Alvarado] helped me with my recovery, I realized I loved [helping others recover] and hanging out with him.”

Diener’s medical interest didn’t stem solely from school. Her family played a key role in shaping it.

“My aunt is an orthopedic surgeon in Berlin. Being with her in the operating field this past summer was really cool, and I realized I wanted to do something in the health field related to sports,” Diener said.

Most involvement with students assisting Alvarado typically begins with something as simple as asking. 

“It’s all just by asking,” Alvarado said. “There is no formal plan. If my students are interested, they can come talk to me and we can work something out.”

Alvarado emphasized his flexibility and encouraged more students to come to him. 

“[Diener] and another student, Petra, are mostly shadowing me and assisting as I see fit. Nothing is directly assigned, but both of them are very proactive, always asking how they can help,” Alvarado said. 

Along with independence comes responsibility. 

“I tell them that you get as much out of this as you put in,” Alvarado said. 

For Diener, some tasks include preparing ice bags, organizing supplies, taping wrists and ankles. 

“I love doing the taping. Especially on ankles. I even practice on my own,” Diener said. “I also really enjoy listening to everyone’s stories. Someone always has something interesting to tell.”

According to Alvarado, trust was the most valuable lesson his students gained from this experience. 

“It all begins with trust. A lot of student athletes are freshmen playing organized sports for the first time. When they get injured, it feels like the end of the world,” said Alvarado. “But we build trust from freshman to senior year, so they know someone is here to help them.” 

He adds that trust goes both ways; students are also learning how to trust their own judgement and skills as they assist others.

The value of learning how to trust yourself and knowing when

to ask for help matters, and this experience is great for students exploring health careers.

 “I think this experience is amazing for them,” Alvarado said. “Injuries aren’t failures; there are setbacks. But when you push through them, you learn a lot about who you are and what you can overcome.”

Through personal injuries, mentorship and hands-on experiences, Diener has turned her setbacks into a career direction. When looking towards her future, Diener would like to partake in science programs with research labs and opportunities in athletic medicine. 

“I want to take what I am learning now and apply it there. Ten years from now, whether or not I go to med school, I know I will be happy working in sports medicine,” Diener said.

When asked about Diener’s future, Alvarado felt that any goal Diener sets for herself can be achieved.

 “Whatever [Diener] wants to do, sports medicine, a higher degree, even a doctor, I think she can achieve it,” Alvarado said. “She understands [the importance of] the time, the effort, being here late and building relationships with students and athletes.