In the busy world of high school sports, there is always a hidden hero – the athletic trainer.
For four years, Caitlin Crump has been dedicating her passion to GRC athletes on and off the field.
With her commitment to the athletic program, new opportunities have been brought to the table.
In the past, Caitlin Crump’s contract has been through Drayer Physical Therapy, but as the contract with Drayer expired, the University of Kentucky was awarded the renewed contract with GRC.
With this thrilling change, Caitlin has had to adjust to the new environment. She found a community with more knowledge than ever to help her become an even better trainer.
“Working at University of Kentucky, I have gotten to be a part of a community that is a huge help to my work,” explains Crump. “There are 25 of us in the region, so whenever I need anything I can reach out to them. With this new contract, I am given the ability to discuss things with people in the same department as me.”
Girls Basketball Coach Robbie Graham speaks on the importance of Catlin when it comes to GRC’s athletics. Without Caitlin’s contribution, GRC’s programs would not be where they are today.
“Caitlin is a very important part of our program,” says Graham. “Not only does she take care of injuries, but she also works hard with injury prevention. Caitlin is always willing to go above and beyond for our student athletes, often accepting calls after hours and on her days off, sometimes even meeting us at the gym after returning from a road trip. Knowing that our players are in good hands takes so much stress off the shoulders of coaches.”
As Caitlin joined GRC, she realized the importance of trust and union both the athletes and the trainer require to have a working relationship.
“I have changed in about every aspect after working here at GRC,” Caitlin explains. “This job is my first time being hired as a full-time athletic trainer. I learned really quickly how to build relationships with my students and coaches. There’s a level of trust between me and the players so that they can have the best care possible. It is so important for me to connect with them easily.”
Boys Basketball Coach Josh Cook expresses how Caitlin has evolved to a great collaborator that every team needs throughout the season.
“She truly cares about these kids,” explains Coach Cook. “Not only is she a team player, but she is just so easy to communicate with. Her heart is truly in this career and she is obviously very passionate about what she does.”
Caitlin speaks for all athletic trainers when she explains how much work trainers put into their athlete’s well-being.
“A lot of people assume that athletic training is only strength and conditioning, but that’s not the case,” she says. “My job goes a lot deeper than people realize. We prevent, diagnose, assist physical therapy, and so much more.”
This past year at GRC has been filled with more injuries than ever before. But with Caitlin’s help, our athletic programs have been able to bounce back with confidence.
“There have been a lot of injuries this year, which is never fun, but I have loved getting to see the success these teams can have even through these hard times,” Caitlin says. “Through the challenges, as their team dynamic changes and they adapt and adjust, the success our teams is always the highlight of my year.”
When being the first person to know if a player’s season is over, Caitlin has had to develop confidence and humility through the process of determining the next steps of resilience.
“As you get to know the kids, and have more experience, you become more confident in yourself,” Caitlin expresses. “This career is heavily based on decision making, which requires me to have full confidence in myself. Each situation gives me things to improve on for the next injury.”
While Caitlin has loved working with the UK, she speaks highly of Drayer Physical Therapy. She explains that Drayer helped her start her career, while UK is furthering her dream.
“I really enjoyed my time at Drayer, but I believe that my potential in the UK is far greater than anything they could offer me,” Caitlin says. “Having a boss who is an athletic trainer, and a ton of
networking capabilities makes it easier for me to help these kids. Where better to work than at the University of Kentucky, of course.”
