This week's Pioneer Spotlight is on Sports Medicine.

The Sports Medicine arm of Cal State East Bay Athletics is critical toward the success of the student-athletes as well as their personal health and wellness. Overseeing Sports Medicine is head athletic trainer, Angie Purchio, MS ATC. She oversees two other athletic trainers, Preslee Rivera and Nico Hurtado, along with sports performance coach Alex Lopez. 

Purchio spoke about the training room operation and how to maintain and sustain its effectiveness. "We manage the athletic training room by working as a team, making it functional and showing student-athletes how they should be utilizing it," stated Purchio. "At times it can get very busy for us so having all resources accessible to them throughout the day including the nutrition station, GameReady's, Normatec's etc. is what keeps it flowing and getting everyone what they need."

While Sports Medicine provides care and resources for student-athletes, Purchio emphasizes the responsibility the student-athlete has ownership of. "We emphasize how important it is to be proactive with recover and injury prevention by utilizing all the resources that they have and taking their nutrition and sleep very seriously. We as a staff will always advocate and do everything we can to help them but they have to want to do it as well as put the time and energy into making sure it happens."

Finally, as sports science has evolved, Purchio has adapted, expects more changes in the future and sees the changes as positive opportunities for in her profession and for student-athletes. "Overall, it has made me a more well-rounded athletic trainer. I have a whole toolbox of resources from when I started nine years ago to where I am now and I get to use all these resources to help these student-athletes get better day after day. The advancement of sport science is only going to continue to grow and it's exciting to think about what the next 5-10 years will show."