Submitted by Christine Towey for Saint Martin’s University
Many people know that as a student athlete, the chances of being injured in a collegiate career are pretty high, but what they don’t think about is what happens with that injury and how it’s fixed. This is where Alice Loebsack comes in. Alice is Saint Martin’s University’s head athletic trainer.
Alice knew early on that this was her passion, and decided to pursue it even at a young age. “I actually started and did three years in high school. Washington State has a vocational sports medicine program medicine program. I also wanted to pursue running so I went to Spokane Falls Community College, and University of Wisconsin Superior.”
Although healing others is her main job, she also has continued to run and has participated in three marathons. Her favorite was her first, which was the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco. This sounds like a race that any women would love to participate in, at the finish line fire fighters in tuxes hand the participant a Tiffany necklace on a silver platter. “He declined my marriage proposal, so you know, I guess I’ll move on.” Alice says with a laugh as she does a deep tissue massage on an athlete.
This whole interview was done while following her around the busy athletic training room as she explains to different athletes what the exercises they need to do are, and demonstrates how they should be done.
“The hectic environment in the athletic training room is what I thrive on. I feel like I’m better at my job when it’s busier. The day to day craziness of the athletic trainer lifestyle makes me better.” And busy it is! Saint Martin’s has 225 student athletes and each one of them is bound to enter the athletic training room at least once in their career span.
Being injured is obviously disappointing; the feeling of sitting on the bench while watching others run around is never a good one. But sometimes this is necessary in order for the body to heal and to be able to compete at a higher level of athletics. Becoming cleared for play again, is a joyous feeling, but not many times is it thought what goes on in the athletic trainer’s mind that’s rehabilitated them.
“Watching an athlete play again after being injured is almost like watching a child grow up. It’s like seeing a child take their first steps. The look of excitement on their face, and the look of true fear on mine (which I’m sure is priceless to see) as they run out onto that field is a feeling you never forget.”
Alice has also helped to found a club for male athletes on campus known as SAVE. SAVE stands for Saints Against Violence Everywhere. This group of upstanding male athletes raises money for battered women’s shelter, and helps raise awareness during domestic violence awareness month.
“I’ve been wanting to engage men in the conversation about violence prevention and awareness on campus, and with the recent media surrounding male athletes, it seems like a good time to approach this idea of a club.” The group may have just started, but has already grown in presence and numbers on campus. “The group has a lot of potential to create a positive impact in the SMU community and hopefully in the greater Lacey-Olympia community as well.”
Obviously, the life of an athletic trainer is quite busy, between rehabilitation of different student athletes, to running marathons, and running a club dedicated to the common good, one must wonder if it’s all worth it.
Alice believes every minute of it is. “It’s a hard career, and if you have a passion for it, you don’t recognize how hard it is. It really is a unique field, with varying hours that aren’t for everybody, but if it is for you, you know it and will love it as much as I do.”
Not only is Alice the head athletic trainer, she is also the Senior Woman Administrator. Every college has a SWA in the athletic department. Some of Alice’s time is spent in meetings both on and off campus. Her last meeting was up at the University of Washington discussing Title IX, specifically the Violence Against Women Act and its relationship on college campuses.
