Taking care of other people’s kids is a big repsonsibility to Great Plains Health Certified Athletic Trainer Destri Millsap. “They’re other people’s babies,” he said. The hospital donates sports medicine services to the school; this is Millsap’s third year working at NPHS. He begins each afternoon with practice prep and starts seeing student athletes during fourth period. He works with students invididually, but it’s not uncommon to see up to 25 students at a time waiting for his help. He applies heat, cold, ultrasound and other healing treatments, tapes students, and evaulates inuries.
Millsap keeps students in the game by working with their injuries during practice and competition. He said it’s difficult knowing his decisions affect every athlete’s livelihood. “It’s a huge responsibility, and athletes trust you to take care of them.”
Freshman volleyball player Josie Keck injured her back last summer. Millsap stretches her back before she plays or practices. She said Millsap helps allieviate the pain quickly. “After he stretches it, it feels better and I can set [the ball] better,” she said. Keck said having an athletic trainer at the school has made a difference in her ability to play. “I help determine the severity of an injury and get them to the right professional that will benefit them the most,” said Millsap. Keck said he referred her to a doctor and she was able to get back to playing quickly. “I was relieved that I wasn’t hurting [my back] more,” she said. “It made me more confident and play harder.”
Millssap said he really likes working with high school students. “They’ve come to know me and trust me.” He also said it feels good to know he’s made a difference to their parents.
This year, Millsap was on the sidelines when a football player got a bad concussion. “We had to spine-board him, activate emergency medical services, and sent him to the emergency room in an abulance.” Millsap said he kept in contact with the parents throughout the night as the hospital conducted multiple tests. He continued to work with the player at school and he is back to playing football again. “His parents were just so thankful; he was so thankful,” Millsap said. “That makes you feel so good.”
Millsap knows what it is like to be an injured athlete and hated being sidelined. “I understand how difficult it is. I wanted to pursue this career to help athletes get back on their feet and be able to compete to their utmost potential after an injury.” Phoenix VanCuraQuincey Epley