MM
Maia Miller
  • Kaneohe, HI

Athletic Training Student Maia Miller of Kaneohe Tackles Fall Football Season

2011 Oct 20

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, football is the leading cause of school sports injuries, ranging from minor sprains and bruises to more serious fractures and head injuries. Helping young athletes prevent and treat these injuries has been the semester-long focus of Maia Miller of Kaneohe, an athletic training major at the University of Evansville who is currently completing a clinical rotation with a high school football team.

Miller is one of 14 UE athletic training students spending the Fall 2011 semester working with football teams in the Evansville area. Since August, Miller has spent approximately 20 hours each week working at Boonville High School under the supervision of the school's certified athletic trainer.

The clinical rotation requires each student to attend every practice and game. Throughout the football season, Miller's responsibilities have included preparing athletes for competition, recognizing and assessing injuries, and quickly providing care or treatment recommendations.

"This clinical rotation is a tremendous learning experience for athletic training students such as Maia Miller, who are ready to apply their academic knowledge in a real-world setting," said Jeff Tilly, director of the University of Evansville's athletic training program and an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. "The intensive, hands-on experience of working with high school football players helps UE students grow as athletic trainers, and it also benefits the young athletes in their care. It's a win-win and an invaluable experience for Maia."

The University of Evansville's athletic training program integrates a strong liberal arts and science foundation with problem solving and clinical skill development. The program has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, and UE's Department of Exercise and Sport Science also holds accreditations from the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The University of Evansville is one of a few select schools nationwide to be awarded all three accreditations.