Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Spring Branch ISD Athletics hosts annual Student Athletic Training Workshop

On March 9, Spring Branch ISD Athletics held its annual Student Athletic Trainer Workshop with 52 high school student-trainers and licensed athletic trainers in attendance. Students and staff from Memorial, Northbrook, Spring Woods and Stratford had the opportunity to participate in this highly anticipated day of friendship building, skills training and immersive education.

The group started its morning at Houston’s Museum of Natural Science, with a focus on the Body Worlds and Cycle of Life exhibit. During their time in the exhibit, students took part in a scavenger hunt for athletic training related facts. After visiting the museum, students and staff were provided lunch, thanks to SBISD Athletics partner Memorial Hermann. All students sported T-shirts designed for the workshop by Stratford student-athletic trainer Dany Sosa, whose entry was chosen as the top design of those submitted. Dr. Mark Provenzano provided funding for all the T-shirts provided for the event.

The most anticipated part of the day took place at Don Coleman Coliseum in the afternoon. Students from all four high schools first had their photo taken by Media, as one of the programs featured in the upcoming SBISD VYPE Spring Magazine. In their photoshoot, students showed off their school colors and athletic training tools. After photos, students filed onto the hardwood to have their skills checked in CPR and participate in the annual Student-Trainer Taping Contest.

SBISD Lead Athletic Trainer Tyra Harrell shared that this workshop is important to students, because this is the time where they can meet the athletic training students and staff from all four high schools. The student-trainers from each school spend most of their time on opposite sidelines from each other but ultimately have one goal – to maintain the health and wellness of SBISD student-athletes.

SBISD’s student-trainers are held to a high standard, as they are certified in CPR, First Aid and more. One of the Athletics Department’s top priorities is that student-trainers know all the staff trainers, so they are prepared wherever they go. This annual workshop provides a space for community and relationship building among students and staff.

At the end of the workshop, staff from each high school awarded students with scholarships to help them in their higher education endeavors or to go to athletic training summer camps. SBISD Athletics partners with Memorial Hermann to provide scholarships to students. This year’s Memorial Hermann Scholars are

  • Antonio Quiroz, Memorial, $2,500 higher education scholarship
  • Jade Harper, Spring Woods, $500 summer camp scholarship
  • Genesis Harrell, Spring Woods, $500 summer camp scholarship
  • Hannah Kmiecik, Spring Woods, $500 higher education scholarship
  • Jasmine Lopez, Spring Woods, summer camp scholarship
  • Madison Shimaj, Spring Woods, $500 higher education scholarship
  • Nicole Nop, Stratford, $500 higher education scholarship

SBISD Athletics also partnered with Dr. E. Peter Sabonghy from UT Physicians and Dr. Stephen Simionich of Memorial Hermann to provide additional athletic training scholarships for our students.

Memorial’s Antonio Quiroz was crowned victorious in the Student-Trainer Taping Contest after a three-way tie and will have his name engraved on the prestigious Student-Trainer Taping Contest plaque.

Executive Director of Athletics Paige Hershey explained in closing remarks that the skills and habits student-trainers develop during their time in the program will be ones that they will carry with them whether they pursue higher education in sports medicine, various health care professions or in any other field of interest. Spring Branch ISD Athletics is proud to educate students at the highest level and partner with the community to help make their next steps in pursuit of a two-year, four-year, technical or military career possible.