Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Joe's Training Room, 1 year out

My goal was to get a grass roots movement going at the high school level. Mobilize the foot soldiers into tackling problem areas in the care & prevention of adolescent athletic injuries.

I've failed.

I've gotten over 25,000 hits in the past year. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to all my blog readers. I'm not just blowing smoke when I say you guys keep me on the ball. It's humbling when I check my hit tracker & see readers coming from almost every continent around the world to read what some high school guy from New Jersey USA has to say.

Unfortunately, barely any are from my home state. And almost none from the high school level. I would really appreciate everyone's opinion as to what I'm doing wrong, and where to go from here. I realize it's not just me. The ATSNJ has had a decline in enrollment in the past 2 years. The new ATC's coming out of college have figured out you can join the NATA BOC without actually joining the NATA. And I hate to sound sarcastic, but we're getting what we deserve. The ATC certification is not carrying much weight any more. I would like to give you specific examples, but I can't without using names.

I'm going to end this post with a quote from Bob Wiersma's "performance builders" blog, referring to the fact that more & more U.S. citizens are going uninsured each year.

"This is about real people in your community in crisis - they have real problems that they can not afford to address in the current health care system. Their solution is not in "the box" of traditional providers and services. What is need is a solution that is out of the box... There is something you can do about it!"

Guys, this is the environment I've worked in for almost 30 years. Most of you have been insulated against it. Get ready because it's coming.

5 comments:

JH said...

Are you on any listserves? Have you thought abuot a website that links to your blog?

All I know is that I enjoy the blog.

Project PAC said...

Joe, I enjoy working with the high-school athlete and I'm planning a trip to NJ in September for a coaching clinic. Would you be available for coffee if time and dates permits? Tim

Anonymous said...

No offense, but I wish you would stop using "training room." Using that term goes against the credibility that you want us to have. We are not "trainers." I read numerous medical blogs and all of them use the correct terminology to describe themselves and their setting.

Please check out these links as they all speak to the great demand for ATs, including a rise of 24% in the next few years.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090703/A_NEWS/307039988/-1/A_LIFE04

http://www.nata.org/newsrelease/archives/000329.htm

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos294.htm

http://cbs5.com/seenon/athletic.trainers.jobs.2.1076391.html

The students do not see any benefits from the NATA so why should they join? That is their thinking. It has nothing to do with us deserving it, nor the strength of the AT credential.

I don't think you have failed at all. You have followers. You are helping people. You read peer reviewed articles and generate thought and discussion. Congrats. I actually am going to have students in Org and Admin subscribe to your blog this upcoming spring. I'm going to get them on google reader and see some blogs out there.

Joe Przytula said...

-thanks for the comments JH, but the word is out, from talking with the rank and file I sense the mindset is different, not sure why.

- Sept is nutty Tim, but we can try. Get me some dates & I'll let you know.

- Ms. Wallace: is the demand up for A.T.'s, or cheap labor? The way I see it is the young high school A.T. taking admin. class as soon as possible to get in & out of this profession as quickly as possible. Maybe at next year's nationals we can sit down & I can give you specifics of what I see going on at the "grass roots" level. Good point about the NATA, but we have to give credit where it is do. I think they have done a great job supporting lobbying on the national & statewide levels on our behalf. BOC only members are getting a free ride. I think the NATA's key roll should be education. They have begun, but in some instances have gone about it the wrong way. Thanks always for the kudos and criticism, but I've tried to be Pete Seeger here & off to a bad start.

Unknown said...

Joe it's Jonathan from ALJ. I want you to know that not only do I follow your blog but it has changed the path I will follow for the rest of my career as a high school athletic trainer. You have opened my eyes to a side of preventative and rehabilitative medicine that was never presented to me in the class room and I thank you for sharing your insight with all of us.. Hope to see you at county's again.