The UNA student athletic trainers are the behind-the-scenes rehabilitation workers, working strictly with the football team and closely with the Certified Athletic Trainers, sources said.

The student athletic trainers look over the wound care, rehabilitation and water for the practices and games and keep players in proper condition to continue playing.

“We act more as therapists than coaches,” said Andrew Suddith, a former fifth-season student athletic trainer.

The student athletic trainers are in charge of preparing the players before the game, including taping the players and bringing ice and water out during the games.

The student athletic trainers also work very closely with the Certified Athletic Trainers to learn techniques such as how to use the e-stim machine, ultrasound machine and whirlpool.

The student athletic trainers are responsible for the hydration of the team and cryotherapy.

“The Certified Athletic Trainers are sure to show us what to do for rehabilitation to help us get a better understanding of the rehabilitation process,” said Rachel Holm, a fifth season veteran of the student athletic trainer program.

They also work closely with the football team. Each student athletic trainer has a particular position on the field to watch for injuries and water breaks.

“Each student trainer stays with a specific position during all practices,” said Amanda South, a third season student athletic trainer.

The undergraduates only focus on the football team, allowing them to focus only on the extreme training and rehabilitation that football players go through.

“We are typically at the training room around 40 hours a week,” South said.

The student athletic trainers are given a scholarship for their time with the team and are held to the highest standard of UNA. The training they will do at UNA will be useful for the job market after they graduate college, Holm said.

Holm said her experience working with the student athletic trainers has been an amazing one and that the training she has received from the university will be invaluable for her future.

“I will leave UNA with a lot of hands-on experience people my age never dreamed of having, and I will miss it when I am done,” Holm said.