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Along with the ability to balance the job’s intense time requirements with personal needs, some athletic trainers need to be ready for all kinds of weather. While that’s not the case for trainers who take care of indoor athletes, it’s true for people like Howard or for trainers who are on the sidelines for such sports as soccer, football, or field hockey. Howard recalled game days when cold, pelting rain left his fingers and toes numb. But when an injury occurred, he had to be ready to do his job at the highest level possible. One difficult part of an athletic trainer’s job has nothing to do with treating injuries on and off the field. The trainer becomes, in a way, a member of the team, spending time with players before, during, and after practices as well as during games. When a team goes through a losing streak, the trainer shares in the sense of frustration and has to work at helping the athletes remain positive. Also hard is seeing players move on, whether through graduation or a trade, or seeing a career end because of an injury. But a trainer also has to be objective and not let his friendships get in the way of making the right decisions for the athletes’ health. Despite the challenges, competition for the top-tier athletic training jobs in college and pro sports is tough, with about 23,000

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R ealities of the W orkplace