Attractors to an Athletic Training Career in the High School Setting (Original Research) (Report‪)‬

The number of employment opportunities for secondary school athletic trainers (ATs) has increased substantially in the past several years and will more than likely continue to grow in the future. (1,2) Although no empirical evidence exists to explain this growth, it makes sense that advances in educational reform and increased awareness of the value of ATs by school districts and the general public could explain the past and future growth in the high school setting. (1) As the number of ATs in the secondary school setting increases, so do the number of high school- and college-aged students who are being exposed to the athletic training profession in the high school setting. High school ATs are developing sports medicine curricula for high school students, and college students are gaining exposure to the high school setting through their clinical education. Now more than ever, ATs in these settings play a key role in the development and future of our profession, because they have the ability to influence students' perceptions of the profession and, ultimately, their career decisions. (3) A clearer understanding of what attracts individuals to athletic training in general and to the high school setting in particular can help to provide insight into why so many individuals choose to be ATs in the high school setting.