Feb 28, 2025/Midnight
Erie, PA. – The player drives to the basket. She hops from one side to another, then flew to reach the rim. After the layup she crashes to her knees. A dreadful sight. The first person on the court to help her was the athletic trainer, like a superhero he saved the day.
Athletes around the country know the feeling of getting injured. The feeling of being hopeless and unable to play the sport they love. At Gannon University, the athletes find a light through the darkness of injury. The Athletic Training department is their light.
Gannon has seven athletic trainers. The athletic trainers have a profound bond with all athletes. From taping, icing, treatment, and rehab for injured athletes. The job of an athletic trainer is to help athletes prevent and recover from any injuries.
David Dennis, the Head Athletic Trainer, quotes the National Athletic Trainers’ Association to describe athletic training as “the prevention, care, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries.” Dennis says this varies between job and department. But overall, the entire department, including himself, works to do just this for Gannon athletes. David Dennis mentions the athletic training department is the primary source of health care for student athletes. The athletic trainers can work seven days a week with flexible hours if necessary to help student athletes. They also serve as a go between for the student with a physician, PT, PA, Health Center, etc. They can do a little of everything.
As Head Athletic Trainer at Gannon, Dennis supervises the six other Athletic trainers. He searches and hires AT’s, places them with athletic teams, and is the person you go to with any questions. Outside of collaborating with the trainers and athletes, Dennis attends administrative meetings, figurehead department meetings, works summer orientations, and more. Dennis notes his important work with the Gannon’s Counseling Center to ensure the mental health needs of student athletes are met.
Everyday is different for Dennis but usually his days are jampacked with meetings, student athlete health evaluations, paperwork, NCAA reporting, and other important tasks. When he is with in-season sports, the day ends when practices are over, and all his athletes are taken care of.
Keith Webber, the women’s basketball athletic trainer, has been treating dozens of athletes through soreness and injury. Similarly to Dennis’s work with men’s wrestling, Keith works tirelessly with the women’s basketball team. The team is currently in-season with a remarkable record of 23-5 gearing towards the final game of the regular season.
Keith first started his education at Edinboro University just down the road. He majored in Physical Education. Then, he switched career paths and got certified to be an athletic trainer through Gannon’s athletic training program. Keith has worked at Gannon for 2 years. He describes his job as “the medical swish army knife.” He uses this analogy to say athletic training requires versatility and resourcefulness.
Keith treats and evaluates all his Gannon athletes for new injuries. There are many factors in an athletic training job here at Gannon. Keith lists multitasking, flexibility, and confidence as the basis for being a good athletic trainer. As an athletic trainer at Gannon, you must be well versed in machines such as NormaTec massage boots, Electrical Stimulation, Game Ready therapy, Massage guns, and Ultrasound technologies. These machines target different areas of the body to relieve tension and soreness. In addition to the treatment machines he scrapes and cups athletes. Also, he works hands on to wrap ankles, wrists, shoulders, knees, and more.
Keith wanted people to know that athletic training “is not just rehab, its treatment in addition to rehab.”
Tori Mayes, a sophomore on the women’s basketball team, works everyday with Keith and the athletic training department. She gets her ankles taped and rehabbed by him. She appreciates having a working relationship with Keith. Tori feels she benefits from the work he does with strengthening her ankles and core. Working with the athletic training department has helped her mentally and physically enhance her game. The bond that she has created with Ketih gives her a safe space to be honest about any injury or soreness she is experiencing.
Her teammate Bri Claxon is a junior on the team. Keith cups her back and quads, scraps her knees, and rehabs her ankles. She trusts him to use his guidance to see what treatment she needs depending on her injuries. She says transparency is something she values when working with Keith. Bri notes the athletic training department cares for every athlete that walks through their doors.
Keith works with women’s basketball, women’s soccer, and softball. He emphasized that even though he works long hours, he loves his job here at Gannon. In Keith’s opinion what sets Gannon apart from other schools in the PSAC is the hunger and drive of the competitive athletes. He says his job is easier because he works with athletes who care about their health as well as their game. Keith also thinks having a close relationship with the coaching staff is important to do his job correctly.
Cleve Wright, the Head Coach of the women’s basketball team, says his relationship with Keith is a priority. Coach Wright “considers Keith an integral part of their staff.” Keith and the coaches interact daily to prevent and assess injury. Coach Wright says he and Keith talk about the players’ physical health, status of player injuries, and plan for recovery. As well they talk about concerns, they have with a player in the program. Coach Wright appreciates Keith’s expertise and knows he cares for his players.
Athletic trainers play an integral role in the success of Gannon Athletics. At Gannon all the athletes know the importance of their athletic trainers. Without them, who knows what serious injuries players would get. If you are an athlete, thank your athletic trainers. If you are not an athlete, show support to the Gannon sports teams that athletic trainers are sworn to protect.
