March is National Athletic Training Month, so it’s the perfect time to get to know Interim Department Chair and Program Director, Associate Professor in the Athletic Training Department, Lynn Matthews. Let’s learn more:
What inspired you to pursue your career?
I met the athletic training student who was assigned to my West Virginia University tennis team. I watched her evaluate and treat my teammates. I wanted to know what she knew. One day she invited me to observe the athletic training room. I was inspired by watching the athletic trainers take care of the athletes and by the energy of being around athletes. I loved what I saw and to this day I am inspired when I walk into an athletic training facility.
What two things might people NOT know about your industry or profession?
Athletic trainersare employed to provide care for professional performers in Cirque du Soleil and to provide care for astronauts with NASA. The NFL requires that an athletic trainer (ATC spotter) be in place in stadium booths at every NFL game to serve as another set of eyes, watching for potential injuries.
In what ways have your students inspired you over the years?
Their successes inspire me. Their success with passing the National Board of Certification exam (BOC) exam and successfully securing meaningful employment inspires me. Their enthusiasm, energy and curiosity inspire me. I love when an alumnus reaches out to tell me about their life and new job or to ask for a reference. I love when current students stop by my office to grab a cup of coffee and chat.
What is something you’d like the college community to know about you personally or professionally?
I am a mother of two children and a grandmother. I enjoy participating in triathlons and completed two half Ironman triathlons. I love open water swimming and hiking. I am a support group facilitator for National Alliance on Mental Illness.
What is your greatest accomplishment this year and what do you hope to achieve in 2021?
My greatest accomplishment this year was transitioning to the interim chair and program director of the athletic training program and, like most, people surviving 2020.