Becoming UnDone

Last week, I shared my story of countless hours, missed milestones, and the reality that respect in some fields is still an uphill battle.

Although I came at it from my experience as an athletic trainer, I know we are not alone in this. In athletics, support staff of all kinds can feel the same way. Equipment managers, strength coaches, compliance officers, media relations, academic coordinators. The list goes on and on.

Outside of athletics, fields like education and nursing come to mind.

But the sad part is, we aren't alone.

Today, my focus is shifting to a question that drove me for years: 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨?

Working in athletic training taught me one thing above all else—respect and value must be earned, but they must also be given in return. I believe solutions start with administrators recognizing the vital role support staff play in the success of every athlete and every program. I know this is the case in some settings, but in my experience and judging by countless conversations I've had with professionals in the field, it is 𝗳𝗮𝗿 from the standard. It’s high time we ask for what we need, unapologetically. Respect. Reasonable hours. Living wages.

Change won’t come from silence, but I’m encouraged by how many people stand ready to be heard. To every AT, to every educator, and to anyone feeling undervalued: 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Let’s keep the conversation going.