09 Sep Kaitlin Patterson invited to travel with Oregon Girls National Wrestling Team!
PICTURED: Harney District Hospital Athletic Trainer Kaitlin Patterson (pictured in the center of the back row) had the distinct honor of being the first athletic trainer to be invited to travel with the Oregon Girls National Wrestling Team this summer. Survey results show that she had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the team! (Photo courtesy of ORUSA Wrestling/Fiebranzphotography.com)
Have you ever wondered what Harney District Hospital Athletic Trainer Kaitlin Patterson does during the “off season” (when school is out for the summer)?
During the school year, Kaitlin is a constant presence at Burns and Crane high school sporting events. She is the first person called when an athlete is injured, as it’s her job to determine whether it’s safe for them to return to competition. She also works with athletes and coaches to prevent injuries, she responds to injuries when they occur, and she helps injured athletes recover, so they can get back in the game.
If you think she takes a timeout during the summer, you’re mistaken! Kaitlin spends her summers working with student athletes to prepare them for the year to come. This includes providing strength and plyometric training sessions. (Plyometrics are dynamic exercises that help build strength, power, balance, and agility by using short, intense bursts of activity that target muscle fibers in the lower body.) She also provides rehabilitation sessions to help injured athletes return to their sport as well as biomechanic corrections (properly aligning bones, muscles, and joints to improve movement).
This summer was extra special because the Oregon Wrestling Association invited Kaitlin to travel with the Oregon Girls National Wrestling Team to their National Duals Tournament in Westfield, Indiana and to the National Championship in Fargo, North Dakota. Kaitlin holds the distinct honor of being the first athletic trainer that the Oregon Wrestling Association has ever asked to travel with their national team.
She said, “It was an amazing experience and an awesome opportunity. I am deeply humbled!”
Between the two trips, Kaitlin saw 677 matches and worked with 90 female wrestlers from high schools all over the state of Oregon.
Her presence was well received! The director of the Oregon USA Girls National Wrestling Team put out a survey at the end of the National Duals trip, and all respondents expressed positive feelings about having Kaitlin as their athletic trainer. She didn’t receive a single negative (or even neutral) comment! They were unanimously positive! Kaitlin was commended for her knowledge, kindness, and availability. She was consistently described as “nice,” “helpful,” “sweet,” and “amazing”! Many respondents said Kaitlin’s presence made them feel safer and more reassured and that she improved their comfort and confidence. Several respondents also said they appreciated having faster access to medical help, instead of having to wait at tournament stations. Overall, respondents valued Kaitlin’s presence for both medical support and emotional reassurance.
Harney District Hospital is beaming with pride! Kaitlin has been an asset to our organization and the community we serve, and we’re so excited that athletes around the state have had the opportunity to benefit from her knowledge, skill set, professionalism, and compassion. Please join us in congratulating Kaitlin on her accomplishments and wishing her well as she starts another school year with our local athletes.
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