When Sehome athletic trainer Maggie Hite relocated to Bellingham in 2014, she noticed the public high schools lacked a sports medicine program.
She met with Jeff Tetrick, career and technical education director at Bellingham Public Schools, asking to add sports medicine courses for students to take.
“I essentially asked Tetrick for a meeting and said: ‘I’m an athletic trainer, I’m licensed and certified, I have my teaching credentials and I’m trying to start a sports med program,’” Hite said.
Hite was initially given one sports medicine class to teach, but additional classes were added that same year in the second semester.
“At that point, I was just like, ‘give me anything,’” Hite said. “‘I’ll take a semester-long introduction sports medicine course and try to grow it from there’ and it blossomed.”
Students in the sports medicine program learn basic taping and anatomy their first year taking the class. Those who go on and continue with the program learn evaluative techniques and orthopedic assessment.
Initially offered at Sehome High School and taught by Hite, the sports medicine program has grown and is now offered at Squalicum and Bellingham High School.
“It turned into growing three different programs and hiring three people to also serve as athletic trainers and mentors for kids,” Tetrick said. “It was just good timing and obviously something we needed to include in our district and kids really wanted to have the ability to do and explore.”
The classes at Sehome have space for 150 kids, and consistently have students waiting to take the class a different year when spots open up.
“One class grew into two, two grew into three, then the next thing you knew, we had it at all of the high schools.” — Jeff Tetrick
Students also have the option of earning additional credit through a practicum component where they assist at athletic events.
“When somebody actually gets hurt, they’re really my extended arms and extra hands,” Hite said. “We act as a team in that moment, but we’re always together and they’re always under my supervision.”
Students that have been certified through the American Heart Association and have their CPR card are also able to perform basic first aid and taping under the supervision of their teacher or athletic trainer.
Having the program expand to all of the high schools in the district is what Hite is happiest about with the growth since 2014.
“One class grew into two, two grew into three, then the next thing you knew, we had it at all of the high schools,” Tetrick said.
When high school sports were put on pause because of the pandemic, the practicum part of the program was wiped out for most of 2020 until sports returned in spring 2021.
Katie Owen, the athletic trainer and sports medicine teacher at Bellingham High School, said there wasn’t anything that could be done to make up for that while schools were in remote learning, but students are getting the opportunity now.
“Those students that missed it last year, that weren’t seniors, are doing it now,” Owen said. “I’ve noticed some of those students are really into it. They feel like they missed out on a lot.”
Seeing students excited about the work is the most rewarding thing for Owen and Hite.
Hite said her biggest goal with the program is to see students light up and help facilitate a passion.
“It’s been so rewarding to see the students spring into action and want to help and make sure they’re doing the right thing to help their peers,” Hite said. “It’s been really incredibly fulfilling and rewarding to see that.”
