Athletic Trainer

Contact the Certified Athletic Trainer: 

Zayna Green  zayna.green@sduhsd.net (858)755-0125 x2211

OVERVIEW:

Our Sports Medicine Team works in collaboration with the Athletic Department, Team Doctors, Physical Therapists, and local Physicians. The Athletic Trainer evaluates all athletic injuries and determines athletic status using consultation with Physicians when necessary. At the start of each season, coaches and students are instructed as to appropriate use of the athletic training room facility and of proper procedure for notifying athletic trainers of injury. Likewise, student-athletes are strongly encouraged to report all sports related injuries to one of our Athletic Trainers at the time of injury.

Meet the Athletic Training Team:

Our Sports Medicine Team works in collaboration with the Athletic Department, Team Doctors, Physical Therapists, and local Physicians. The Athletic Trainer evaluates all athletic injuries and determines athletic status using consultation with Physicians when necessary. At the start of each season, coaches and students are instructed as to appropriate use of the athletic training room facility and of proper procedure for notifying athletic trainers of injury. Likewise, student-athletes are strongly encouraged to report all sports related injuries to one of our Athletic Trainers at the time of injury.

WHAT IS ATHLETIC TRAINING?

Athletic Training is an allied health profession dedicated to providing health care to physically active individuals. Certified Athletic Trainers specialize in the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic related injuries and illnesses. Certified Athletic Trainers work in a variety of settings including secondary schools, colleges & universities, professional teams, sports medicine clinics, and corporate health programs. They work closely with the rest of the sports medicine team, including doctors, physical therapists, coaches and parents.

To become a certified athletic trainer one must earn a bachelors or masters degree from an accredited athletic training education program and pass a comprehensive exam administered by the Board of Certification. Once certified, they must meet additional continuing education units to remain certified. For more information on athletic training visit the National Athletic Trainers’ Association website at nata.org.

INJURIES AND RETURN TO PLAY:

Injuries of an athletic nature, occurring during a school-sponsored activity (on or off campus), must be reported to the athletic trainer. Decisions regarding follow-up care, ongoing athletic training, and/or orthopedic consultation are at the discretion of the athletic training staff, in consultation with local physicians when indicated or necessary. In addition, the athletic trainer will make the determination regarding a student’s return to play and participation in daily athletics. Such determination will be made in consultation with local physicians when indicated or necessary

Injuries of an athletic nature sustained during non-school-sponsored athletic activities are not the responsibility of the athletic trainer and should be directed to the appropriate medical provider. If these injuries affect the playing status of a student athlete, the athletic trainer will make the determination regarding a student’s return to play and participation in daily athletics after consulting with the attending health care provider.

Student Athletic Trainers and Interns:

Torrey Pines Sports Medicine is affiliated with Point Loma Nazarene University's Masters in Athletic Training Program and each year students complete clinical internship requirements with TP Sports Medicine. 

Athletic Training Students are vital to our Athletic Training Clinic. Students from Torrey Pines Sports Medicine CTE Pathway and/or the Sports Medicine club have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience interning in our clinic. Their duties include guiding ambulances in the event of an emergency, acting as a second hand to the Athletic Trainer by taping non-injured players, bandaging and first-aid, and keeping our athletes hydrated. These students are volunteers with a limited amount of hours and availability. They sign up for the events they would like to gain experience with. They are instructed to work with every team at least twice, but as volunteers with other scholastic and personal commitments, they may not be available for all athletic events. 

TP Sports Medicine Policies and Procedures:

As discussed in our coaches meeting, the event coverage order of operations is the following: 

Collision Sports - Contact Sports - NonContact Sports//Varsity- JV- FROSH

• Coaches are expected to have a general understanding of the athletics schedule and calendar. This will help you better understand where the athletic trainer will be during the school day. 

• If you are unsure if an athletic trainer will be available for your event (Holidays, Saturdays, traveling with collision sports etc) please refer to the door sign for the most accurate location of the AT or check the athletics calendar ahead of time and confirm with the athletic trainer that week.

• Water and ice will be provided for home contests. It will be available prior to the start time of home contests as feasible. If you have expectations for water at a certain time, then you will need to set up your water on your own to match your timeline. The water station in the gym is located in the alcove on the southwest corner.   

Concussions:

California law mandates that all coaches must receive training on concussions. Additionally, California law mandates that all CIF member schools must comply with the following: a concussion and head injury information sheet must be signed and returned annually by the athlete and the athlete’s parent or guardian before the athlete’s initiating practice or competition.

Below are documents from the CIF Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) that schools and districts may use to meet this mandate which informs parents and students on concussion signs and symptoms.

• Concussion Information Sheet: The CIF_Concussion_Info_Sheet has general information on concussions including signs and symptoms, return to learn and return to play. This sheet is in compliance with CIF Bylaw 503.H. – Concussion Protocol and California State Law AB 25 (Education Code § 49475).

• Physician Letter to School Form: The Physician Letter to School Form is the form that your physician (MD or DO only) will fill out and you will return to the athletic training staff.

• Return to Learn (RTL): These two (2) documents are to assist the concussed student to “return to the classroom and learning environment” in a scientific manner regarding brain activity: the CIF Concussion Return to Learn (RTL) Protocol Form is the recommendations for returning to the classroom environment, and the CIF Physician (MD/DO) Recommended School Accommodations Following Concussion Form is also to be completed by your physician and will be returned to the athletic training staff.

• Return to Practice and Play (RTP): Medical science and concussion care experts have found that a concussed athlete must take a gradual and progressive, stage by stage, step by step return to practice under medical supervision to minimize risks and allow the brain to properly recover. A.B. 2127 and CIF Bylaws mandated a MINIMUM timeline, but medical experts recognize that many adolescent concussion patients may take much longer to recover. Always be cautious as returning to practice and play too quickly may have catastrophic consequences. The CIF Concussion Return to Play Protocol Form will be used by the Torrey Pines Athletic Training Staff to safely return your student-athlete back to competition following a head injury or concussion.