My senior year for my capstone project, I shadowed a local high school athletic trainer. I spent 32 hours shadowing her. It was here I learned first hand the education requirements and the pros and cons of being an athletic trainer. The biggest thing I took away from my shadowing experience was the impact athletic trainers make in athletic programs. The athletes loved coming to her because it was a break from the yelling of coaches, she was perceived as the “nice guy (girl).” I also enjoyed that she was the underdog. She wasn’t making a huge salary or getting the media attention, but she was making a big impact- the program couldn’t be successful if it wasn’t for