Although many students may not know her, Ms. Sara Robinson is a well-known figure among athletes at South Windsor High School. As the school’s athletic trainer, her expertise plays a key role in helping student-athletes perform at their best
Robinson joined the SWHS community in the fall of 2021. This is her 4th year as an Athletic Trainer. When asked why she wanted to become an athletic trainer, she stated “[she] was always interested in taking care of people and seemed to always like [her] science classes more than the other subjects.”
Robinson upholds responsibilities for injury evaluation, injury prevention, therapeutic intervention, emergency care, and administration/documenting. The majority of the time, she is focused on injuries that take place during games and practices. She can often be found riding in her golf cart to tend to injuries during practices and games.
Not only is her emergency care necessary for the athletes, she also provides evaluations of each injury, communicating with the athlete what their next move is.
She provides connections with doctors and physical therapists if needed. Whether they should play, rest, or complete physical therapy, nothing gets past Robinson without her knowing.
After school, she can be found in the training room across the girls locker room, most likely intensely tapping an ankle or checking in on athletes after their injuries.
“Everyday there’s something new I do that I haven’t done before, but those are the main things,” Robinson explained.
Injuries are an athlete’s worst enemy. The fact that your body physically restricts you from playing the sport you love can be mentally taxing on an individual.
“We are the first ones to tell you the bad news and we see the frustration, anger, and sadness when you realize you’re not just getting up and shaking it off,” Robinson shared.
Robinson has dealt with something as small as a scrape to major fractures. A recent example of this is football player Nathan Tenney’s torn ACL.
Tenney is unfortunately out for the season to preserve his health for his upcoming football career at Endicott.
Tenney and Robinson have been collaborating together to create a recovery plan for his injury. “When I got injured Sarah was able to comfort me that I would be able to play football again.
She has been a huge help in my recovery allowing me to come back to be a stronger athlete,” Tenney said.
Tenney also stated that, “She was able to talk me through the ACL tear and has been able to communicate and help me not stress about the surgery and the recovery”.
When asked what her favorite part of her job was, Robinson told The Prowl:
“With it being my 4th year here, I’ve watched athletes grow up from freshmen to graduating seniors. Over the years, I got to know you guys, and you make me so proud.”
Robinson has demonstrated her value to the athletic department through her dedication and hard work. She plays a vital role in supporting athletes both personally and physically. Her positive presence is felt daily, making her an asset to South Windsor High School.
