![Prom king Colin Napier and queen Leah Hopkins dance the night away during the Golden Gala on April 26th. Prior to the prom, the Student Government must make many preparations over the course of months in order to ensure it goes off without a hitch. However, their work eventually pays off when it comes time for the dance. “We set up [the prom] the day before, and it’s horrible. We’re there for a very long time, and then we get our beauty sleep, and then we get ready for prom the next day,” Aubrie Sandifer said.](https://oviedojournalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Oviedo-197-800x1200.jpg)
Athletic training is a specialized program that helps athletes recover from injuries and soreness. If an athlete gets injured on the field or court, they head to Erica Zimolzak, head of the athletic training (AT) course.
AT is the first stop for athletes who are injured. From there, the team’s goal is to find out the extent of the injury and decide what type of care, medicine, or actions need to be taken.
The students in this course are able to learn the basics of medical and physical treatment, such as CPR and first aid. These are useful skills that will follow you throughout your life, and are even required by some jobs.
“We learn how to tape wrists, we do injuries, first aid, and we learn how to do ankles,” Cody Moise said, one of the captains of the AT program. Although this is a program that focuses on the physical attributes of students, students in the program are able to learn so much more.
“I think a lot of students gain confidence,” Zimolzak said. “A lot of students come into the program a little more quiet and reserved, and by the end, they’re telling everyone what needs to be done.”
Being a part of the AT program can do great things for your future. There are multiple former Oviedo AT students who went on to universities, such as the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida, to become athletic trainers.
“We have athletic trainers at the college level, we have them in professional sports. All professional sports have athletic trainers now,” Zimolzak said.
There are also students who’ve become physicians, nurses, and other types of workers in medical fields.
Even if you don’t see a future in athletic training, it is a great program to be a part of. If you’re a student looking into the medical fields and have a love for sports, athletic training might be your thing. In fact, that happens to be what pushed Zimolzak into teaching this program.
It is also a great opportunity to create new bonds. “I think most importantly, we want them to feel like they belong and they have a space here at school,” Zimolzak said. “I think we’re all pretty close in the program.”
Oviedo enjoys supporting Oviedo teams and athletes, and the athletic program trainers are the people behind the scenes, making sure our Lions are always game-ready and safe. So next time you’re at a game and you see an athletic trainer, thank them for their work.
