Nicholas Murray wants to see athletic trainers working at every northern Nevada high school. That wish is his North star as he leads the innovATe project through the University of Nevada, Reno’s Neuromechanics Laboratory, which expands public school access to athletic trainers.
According to Nevada Silver & Blue, the project began at Earl Wooster High School, and Murray plans to expand to other schools as support for the program grows. Currently, Zoe Haddox, who graduated from Murray’s program in 2021, is serving at Wooster.
“Every kid deserves to play safely,” he said. “We want this to be the start of a bigger movement that helps make full-time, salaried athletic trainers standard at every Nevada high school.”
Whether it’s taping ankles and icing sprains or diagnosing more serious injuries, like concussions and torn ACLs, athletic trainers are uniquely qualified to support youth athletes and provide dedicated medical support. Murray knows from his own high school sports days that both student-athletes who play recreationally and the 1% who go on to play collegiately need care from athletic trainers.
“It’s about more than just taping ankles. Athletic trainers help prevent injuries before they happen, provide care and rehabilitation, and are prepared to respond to emergencies. They serve as a critical link between students, coaches, parents and the broader health care system,” said Christianne Eason, president of sport safety and education for the Korey Stringer Institute.
Murray envisions the innovATe program especially helping underserved school communities, where hiring an athletic trainer may be even less common. Back when he played football and wrestling, there were no athletic trainers on the sidelines so he did not get the care he needed for his own injuries.
“I want to make sure the next generation of elementary and high school student-athletes don’t have to go through what I did,” he said.
