The student athlete trainer program started in Madill several years ago. According to Bink Stafford, the Athletic Director of the Madill schools, it began with a few girls showing interest in the program.
“There were some girls interested in doing it and basically took it and ran with it,” he said. He also noted that every year, the girls in the program attend a training camp at the OU college campus in Norman, Okla., where they spend a week learning the functions of being a trainer and how to take care of the athletes.
Student athlete trainers are taught to assist the supervising athletic trainer, prepare and properly store the equipment for games and practices along with attending all practices and games. Some might say their biggest responsibilities are learning the different taping techniques, treatment techniques, and general aid needed to give to the athletes when injured.
Brooklyn Nixon is a senior this year at Madill High School and will graduate in May of 2021. She first started as a manager/trainer her freshman year for the baseball team, which she has maintained all four years. She said her brother playing baseball is what started it all.
“I wanted to become a trainer originally because I wanted to watch my brother play baseball,” she said. “I owe coach Mike Matlack and coach Baker McHatton a big thanks for allowing me as a freshman to become someone with a lot of responsibility by keeping the books and stats.”
Nixon did not start training for other sports till her junior year when she failed to make the cheer squad.
“I wanted to do something better with my new spare time I had on my hands,” Nixon said. “So, I went to Bink Stafford, aka my bestie, and asked him if he could help me become a trainer for the football team because I still wanted to go to the games and see our boys play.”
Nixon, along with the other trainers; Autumn, Michelle, Alejandra, Jastiny, Lily, Marlene, Trinity, and Kaylee, all attended the Summer Pride program this past summer working one-on-one with the coaching staff and football players.
“As a trainer there are a lot of early mornings of summer pride and lots of late nights with football games but I wouldn’t trade any of it,” Nixon reminisced. “The other trainers are a great group of girls and it will be sad when I leave them when I graduate this year. We have helped each other with a lot and we have become really close. Training has become a big part of my life and I love it so much.”
Once football season is over, the trainers usually go to the next sport of choice and help train for it, as well. Nixon said she chose basketball because she absolutely loves watching and helping with the boys’ and girls’ teams, they are both great teams and know how to play as a team.
She said the coach’s personalities helped make it a fun atmosphere.
“The basketball coaches are awesome and funny people,” she said. “Coaches Weiberg, Shawn, Runyan, Anderson, and Potter are all great coaching staff we have in Madill.”
Many of the coaches and staff have praised Brooklyn on her dedication and hard work. Stafford said she is definitely an asset. “She’s an outstanding and important part of our program and will be missed.”