CSB Athletics highlights trainers during March

March is not only Women’s Month, but also Athletic Training Month. CSB athletics used this time to honor two members of its athletic training staff.

Head athletic trainer Erin Ross and assistant athletic trainer Rachel Hassler treat and advocate for all the CSB athletes.

They are dedicated to helping the coaches and athletes succeed.

“Athletic trainers sometimes work for as many as 12 hours [a day], but we love it. The grind and the rapport we make with athletes at CSB is so meaningful and fun; it makes our busier, longer days all worth it,” Hassler said.

Their responsibilities range from teaching class in the exercise studies and sports studies department as adjunct professors to preparing athletes for home and away games, and much more.

It is common for Ross and Hassler to work between 50-60 hours a week.

“Some days can be early morning to late at night, but there are some days that are shorter and allow me to spend time with my two kids and get them where they need to go,” Ross said.

The type of work the trainers have to do depends on the season and what sports are playing at the time.

If it is a fall or spring season, the trainers need to prepare for outdoor games by checking the weather and properly preparing athletes for outside terrain. For the last two seasons, trainers had to work on what the current COVID-19 policy was for athletes and determine whether the other team abided by it.

As an alumna of CSB, Ross began her athletic training career as a student employee for SJU athletics room. After leaving to get her graduate degree at St. Cloud State University, Ross returned to CSB/SJU and has held her position for the last 12 years.

“I was the very first student to graduate from St. Ben’s or St. John’s to sit for the national athletic trainers associate board of certification exam,” Ross said.

According to Ross, that exam only has a 23% passing rate.

Hassler knew she wanted to go into athletic training after a course she took in high school. From there Hassler went to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and in 2018 started her athletic training career at CSB after graduating with a master’s in advanced athletic training from the University of South Carolina.

There are many rewarding parts of the job. Watching athletes overcome an injury that has initially removed them from the game and building strong bonds with athletes that are frequent flyers in the training room are just a few reasons Hassler loves coming to work each day.

“[The most rewarding part of the job is] having athletes or our sports medicine students come to me and tell me they want to become an athletic trainer because they love seeing the work we do in the sports medicine department,” Hassler said.