JANELLE STRAWSBURG
Staff Writer
Backed by an athletic medicine team, head athletic trainer John Shearer works to improve both body and mind of Waves athletes, keeping them in tip-top shape for quality athletic performance.
With an undergrad degree from the University of Iowa in athletic training, certification as an athletic trainer, and a master’s degree from University of Arizona in exercise and sports science, Shearer was promoted from assistant athletic trainer to head athletic trainer in 2000.
“I’ve always been involved in sports but always interested in health care,” he said. “This was a perfect profession that combined the two.”
Located in the lower level of Heritage Hall, the athletic training office is one that many athletes frequent often. With a dedicated staff of four certified athletic trainers, two team physicians and several consultants, the Waves athletic medicine team seeks to put the needs of the Wave athlete as first priority.
“Most people see us at the games and not behind the scenes,” Shearer said. “We get to be a fan which is great, but to most people you’re that guy who ‘tapes ankles,’ and we do a lot more than that. We are responsible for the total healthcare of over 275 athletes. We do prevention and management of injuries, rehabilitation after injuries, administration, risk management, medical eligibility, and referrals to medical consultants. There is a lot of our job that is never seen.”
Serving 15 intercollegiate teams, Shearer said Pepperdine is unique in the personal relationships developed between his athletic medicine team and the athletes.
“Here at Pepperdine it is a lot more personal than at larger universities,” he said. “It isn’t a cookie cutter job, where either the kids get lost in the shuffle, or we get lost in the shuffle. We get to know our kids at a personal level. They aren’t simply a name, we get to know the person. We talk about life, not just physical ailments.”
Paul Klingsburg, a freshman baseball player, is on a first name basis with the athletic training office after spraining his ankle while slipping down a flight of stairs his first week on campus.
“They know what they are talking about,” Klingsburg said. “They’re great people. I’m in there so often I feel like I have a personal relationship with them.”
Most importantly, for Shearer it is not just about treating the physical ailments of athletes, it’s about the personal relationships that develop and are maintained through out the years.
“One positive draw of being an athletic trainer is we get to watch and see where the kids go from here. We get to see them go pro, and that is rewarding,” he said. “And for the kids that don’t go pro we get to see them come back and play in alumni games and hear about where they are now.”
10-26-2006
