INTEGRATING & IMPROVING Athletic Training

Relationships & Communication

Scott R. Dietrich, EdD, ATC, CSCSEast Stroudsburg University

East Stroudsburg, PA

2006 PATS Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposium

June 9 - 11, 2006; Lancaster Host ResortLancaster, PA

Who am I?

• Decided Early in HS Athletic Training was for me! (Sophomore year in HS)

• Internship Route (Sports)• Earned a Masters Degree• Earned a Doctorate in Education

– Surround myself with great AT people – Soak up as much as I could what & how they worked

Who is this for?

• Any one involved in:– AT Education (College Faculty, Students, ACIs)

– AT Recruitment (especially in the HS)

“ I don’t try to teach golf to children. What they need is someone who will Guide their learning (p.92).”

What was my study about?Starkey, 2002:

“The most prominent need of Athletic Training education programs is communication between faculty & clinical staff…

All other aspects of the curriculum can be impeccable, but the quality of the program is critically diminished

If clinical educators are not an integral part of the planning development and implementation of the process.”

Coherence:“Coherence denotes connectedness which, in turn, suggests consistency and accord among elements (Buchman & Folden, 1991).”

Howey & Zimpher, 1989: –Conducted in-depth, Qual, 6 “different but distinctive” Tx. Ed–Identify common characteristics of programs that consistently produced competent novice educators.

–Established 14 Indicators for Program Coherence–Later (Mitchell, Hampton) adapted into a Coherence Assessment Protocol (CAP) for physical education which included the cooperating teachers.

What did I do? Found an Exemplar ATE Program 23 In-depth Interviews (AT-CAP)

Sts (10), Fac (2), ACI (7), & Alumni (4) Observations & Document AnalysisAll Information was:

- Member Checked & Triangulated- Coded & Entered into MaxQDA2- Evidence of coherence was ranked for 14 Strong ( >18), Moderate ( >11), Low ( >5), No (1-4) or Insufficient (<11 total responses)

What did I find out?Coherence:

– Can actually be assessed in AT!– Difficult but important for high quality ATP.– Addresses delivery issues that accreditation reviews do

not.

About the Program:- Moderate level of coherence- Program goals were clearly identified!- Structure, sequence, and conduct of curricula,- St outcomes reflect goals & CAAHEP Standards

Unsolicited Themes that Emerged- Coherence, Competition & Affiliation are critical- Role of Faculty and Clinical Instructors were ambiguous- Appropriate Supervision vs. Student Autonomy - Time commitment and certain placements may negatively

socialized female athletic training students- Practical applications of AT research were rare

Where do we go from here?• Power

– To act and make decisions about the work and all of its aspects.

• Information– About strategy, quality, feedback, events, and

results must be available to all.• Knowledge

– Of the work, roles and expectations must be clearly understood.

• Rewards– Should be tied to results,

individual growth, capability & contributions

Where do we go from here?Six Principles of a “New-Logic” Major1. A well organized curriculum is the ultimate

competitive advantage2. The most effective source of control is

involvement3. Each member must add significant value4. Lateral decision-making is key for

effectiveness5. Courses should be designed around

students and expected outcomes6. Leadership is a vital aspect for effectiveness

* Adapted from “From the ground up” by Lawler (1996)

Why is this important?

Quality Students

CompetentProfessionals

Quality Programs

Athletic Training

Your Actions

Communication Exercise!Break up into groups of like face

cards!

Ace Student Perspective

KingFaculty Perspective

QueenClinical Instructor Perspective

Scenario A• Junior ATS is on his way into the local

HS for work at his 3rd clinical placement • As he passes the cafeteria 2 male (Hs)

students begin brawling, throwing punches & each other around the rm

• There are no teachers or administrators in this corridor leading to the café

If you are a student list what you’d do

If you are an ACI or Faculty member what would you expect them to do?

* Concerned with Child Abuse clearance, this student did nothing

Scenario B• A Senior AT student enters the ladies

room at her clinical placement in a near by local high school about forty minutes before a meet.

• She sees a group of girls track athletes using “ripped fuel” a performance enhancing drug containing Ephedra which is banned by the FDA.

If you are a student list what you’d do.

If you are an ACI or Faculty member what would you expect them to do?

* This student told her ACI after she saw how they disposed of the bottle.

Scenario C• A Junior AT student consistently reports

late to his clinical assignment citing car trouble.

• After skipping the placement 5 times without letting telling the ACI (school policy is 3 misses)

• The ACI recommends he be dropped from the assignment or reassigned.

If you’re Faculty/ACI list what you’d do.

If you are their student partner what would you expect them to do?

• This student was not reassigned, incurred a penalty for lack of hours and passed with a C, the ACI gave the student a failing grade.

Develop A Scenario• Come up with a scenario that you

feel might be particularly challenging for your particular role.

• Include what you suspect the outcome would be.

Exercise in Communication!Break up into groups of like

Suit!

Hearts = Harrisburg University

Clubs= Carlisle University

Spades = Lancaster University

Diamonds =Lebanon University

Scenario D• While taping an ankle just before a

basketball game, a female AT student gets “pants-ed” in front of five or six players from both teams.

• Embarrassed, she screams and runs into a nearby women’s locker room, others laugh.

List what you’d do if you were this student or another student in the room.

If you are an ACI list what you’d do? If you are an Faculty member would you

reassign this student to another placement?

* This student left school for the semester and filed a lawsuit against the player.

Scenario E• A senior AT student witnesses a head to

head collision during a wrestle-off competition, both wrestlers are intensely focused on earning the varsity spot.

• One of the two knows he has a history of concussions/PCS and becomes violent during the basic evaluation.

• The wrestler picks up the student and slams him to the floor, kicks him in the stomach and leaves the room.

• Athlete later returned and finished the match with the consent of his coach.

* Faculty removed all students assigned to WR for the rest of the season.

Scenario X,Y,Z• Would anyone like to share a

scenario that you came up with?

Conclusions Six steps for Improving

Communication & Relationships:

2. Work Hard to Communicate Better

3. Develop More Authentic Evaluations

4. Build a Good Reputation & Strong Affiliation

5. Promote Healthy Competition

1. Clarify Expectations for Each Participant

6. Functional System of Rewards

ConclusionsAll athletic trainers regardless of position

need to find ways to keep students motivated, curious, confident and eager to learn.

Harvey’s 18 Principles of Teaching:

1. Be anxious to praise and slow to criticize. (Why?)

2. Criticize yourself before criticizing others.3. All people like to be important.4. The best way to get pupils to do a task is

to get them to WANT to do it.5. Don’t Argue, even if you win its still a loss.

ConclusionsHarvey’s 18 Principles of Teaching Cont’d:

6. Never pretend to know so much that you can’t learn more.

7. Remember names & use them often.8. Talk Plain9. Everyone is either going Fwd or Bwd…10. Life consists of a lot of minor

annoyances mixed with a few matters of real consequence.

11. We are frequently misjudged by our superiors, but never by our subordinates

12. A stout heart usually accompanies a soft voice.

ConclusionsHarvey’s 18 Principles of Teaching Cont’d:

13. Finish ONE job well, before starting another.

14. Be an influence and an example to other colleagues and students. (actions speak louder than words)

15. Be brave if you lose and meek if you win.16. Always smile while providing good

service.17. Teaching is a teachers best advertisement18. Try to understand what’s going on in the

students mind and then simplify!

Conclusions

What is the difference between Faith and Confidence?–Faith lies within the Heart &

–Confidence is in the Mind!

Thanks so much!

“Keep the Faith, Baby!” – George “Speed” Ebersole

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