News Scrapbook 1979

LA

•

FEMALE TRAINERS 0 LONGER RARE College Athletes Now Treated by Women Skilled in Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation "Athletes are highlt1 motivated and will do anything, especially on the cmnp t1tive level, to get well and back into their games." CAROLYN RYBACK. USD h11d tralntf BY MATf MrrCHELL Tlmts Stall Wrllff SAN DIEGO-A fooLball player crashes heavily to the ground, hi leg twisted In an unnatural posiuon, his head spinning. A trainer run. to hlll re cue. Slowly the player opens his eyes and discovers that it is a woman who 1s mm1 tcrmg to his immediate needs. It may also be a woman whu will b mg to his rehab1htat1on. F mnl tramc arc no longer unll~ual, at least at San Diego col- lege . San Diego State, counting full-lime workers and student interns, ha J 5 tram r6 under the direction of Bob Moore. Eleven are wom- en, working In the coed traming room where tape 1s applied and physical rch b1htation conducted on a first-come, first-served basis for nil rn of the men's and women's sports. Moore's n uciate trainer is Carlynn Smith, whom he describes a b mg ''as qualified as any male trainer m the business-and better than mosl." Carolyn Rybnck is the head trainer for athlellcs at the University or San Diego and 1s believed to be the first woman to oversee the coed act1V1t1e for an NCAA university. A classmate or hers from San Diego tate, Patty Brcndecke, divides her time between Mesa College, where he's the assistant, and the San Diego Sports Injury Clinic. Patsy Ann Fort 1s the trainer for the Dream, a women's pro bas- ketball team. It's basically the same job she had for the men's bas- kctbnll team at San Diego State last season. Connie Spooner, the pioneer student in Moore's program, is the trainer for various pro tennis circuits. Unlike the old-school trainers, who felt they could spit tobacco Juice on a bruise or a pulled muscle and the inJury would get well, today's trainers arc highly skilled in injury prevention as well as treatment. Few would give up the athletic atmosphere just to be physical thcraplSts, a profession for which all are qualified. "With an athlete, you can see immediate results," said Ryback, who during football season puts in 11-hour days. "Athletes are dis- 'As a trainer, sometimes you want to be su- per human or a great healer. But you can't do more than people will let you.' PATTY eRl!Nl>fCt

Patty Brendecke, Mesa College assistant trainer, exercises John Locoeo's leg at Sports Injury Clinic where she works part-time Time, photo by Robert Lachma

; Although there is a growing number of women entering f collegiate sports, they have yet to invade ':he ranks of I professional teams. But San DiegoCharger trainer Ric Me- l Donald figures that within a decade, women will be work• Ing in pro football . I The viciousness of the game may be delaying the en- trance of women, he suggested, but he said. "Players are l)eooming wied to working with women trainers because of college experiences, and I don't think the NFL is so steePed tn tradition that it wouldn't eventually do iL "There are a lot of women trainers now who are as good -or better-as far as their qualificatiODS go than many of the men in the business." But Stat.e's car1ynn Smith wonders If women reallY care about rushing to the NFL or ma,lor league baseball. •'If you work with one sport, it would have to be football," she said. "Working In college Is good because you geL a variety of sports. Just one sport would be boring, and I'm not into l just staring at the walls. "And there'd be a Jot of added pressure to get someone well because the people are paid lo play the game. You might be forced to compromise. , There's no way to avoid injuries in sports like football i when you have risk-taking and people running into each •other at high speeds and big mes. It's the same as thinking when youput automobiles on the freeways you won'L have accidents. If women don't aspire to reacb the as at:hlet.es _do, 1 why are they foing into training In droves? Replu,d Smith, the mother o a young aon: "More women see thlB aa a career and not as something to do unUl they get married. "Let's face it, it doesn't matter to athletes who want to get back to their sport if the trainer is a man. a woman or someone who is pink with RurpJe polkadots. They jugt ,want to get back to the game.

Contln ed from Finl Pace

Football makes ~e male-female pen:eatage dis- proportionate, but m the wmter and spring there are about 00 men being treated far every 40 women. The proportion of women applying to team to be train- ers, however, is a reverse of the 00-40 ratio. All k to be Included In working with football and aoceer, the two highest injury-prone sports. Moore said. adding "Many don't even want to be involved with a nan-coeducational program." AB part of the initial training program. students are sent to high school foot.ball games as interns and often are the only trained people in attendance. Ryback am Brendecke both said this was an excellent opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills early. Many of the women entenng training oome from compe- titive sports, where there wasn't very much future as a professional Ryback, a strong. 5-2½ former gymnast who was good eoough to compete againsl Cathy Rigby, got into training after her swnum was crushed in a practice accident She learned to appreciate rehabilitation work and now Is in her second year as the only female bead-traloer or an NCAA Division I school. AB a former athlete. Ryback thinks It helps to have had the experience, because it gives her empathy with what injllred players must endure. "I appreciate the psychologi- cal factor in the stress caused by an injury," she said. "Athletes have a great.er discipline to achieve their goals." Although she's only about four years older than many of the USD football players, she's called "Mom" a loL She also is asked by players how to deal with personal prob- ~%5g~ often she should be eligible for a psychologist's Brendecke prefers working with athletes far better than ......,..._ being employed as a regular pbysi.cal therapist. "Athletes l are basically healthy," she said, "111> all a trainer bu to do is help them get ha?, to their basic stale of health. It's · pleasing to see them miprove daily. want to be ,q,er human or a great healer. But you cant do mare tban people will let '

•

also tapes an ankle.! "AB a trainer, sometimes :rou

P. I b Ro M_,. 1 d oo y n

....,en on you."

---'-

SAN DIEGO CLIPPING SERVICE

SAN DIEGO CLIPPING SERVICE

SAN DIEGO CLIPPING SERVICE

LA JOLLA LIGHT ,WV 2 2 1979

EVENING TRIBUNE

READER

NOV 2 3 1979

NOV 2 2 1979 "The Naive Eye Now," an exhibit of conccmporary, primitive, and American folk paintings and sculptures will continue through December 6, Founders Gallery, USD, Alcala Park. 291-6480 x4296.

USO auxiliary plans lunch Each guest at the University of San Diego Auxiliary's December 4 luncheon will receive gifts of music and Christmas ornaments.

t·oundrrs' t;allery, lSll will e>bibll "The Naive E ·e ftjow .. reaturing 50 p1ere~ of contemporary, p~mitive' American Cold painting and srutglurP through Dec 6 ~r~m 10 a m. to 4 p m. 'wE>ek ays uo....i Tbanksgwing.

•

USD students will reap the benefits of the fall fashion show when President Author E. Hughes receives the proceeds from that successful event from fashion show chairman Betty Bass. Judy Comito, chair- man of the luncheon to be held in the West Room of the Atlantis Restaurant, asks each guest lo bring a wrapped Christmas ornament for a gift exchange. Social hour is 11 a.m. with lunch served at noon. The gift of music will be presented by the University's choral ensemble und~r the

SAN DIEGO CLIPPING SERVICE

SAN DIEGO CLIPPING SERVICE

SAN DIEGO UNION

NOV 2 5 1979

FOUNDERS GALLERY !~~rtary ~olk painting~~~- Gallgiur~Odrsplay in Founders , a.m. to 4 pm week ays through D . .

•

~-U- niversrty of San Die~~- 6,

Founders' Gallery: Contemporary folk painting and sculpture. To Dec. 6. USO 291"6480.

USO Auxiliary_ president Pat Keating, left, Betty Barrett and Jerri Smith prepare for the groups upcoming holiday luncheon. (Photo by David Eidenmiller) direction of Father Lessons and Carols" to Nicolas Reveles. be held in Founders Selections will be from Chapel on December s the concert "Festival of and 9. Luncheon reservations may be made by calling Mrs. Comito or Pat Keating.