Holliston’s Siglin Promotes Athletic Trainers Month

National Athletic Training Month is designated every March to emphasize the important work that athletic trainers perform.
As part of a healthcare team, athletic trainers (AT) provide injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.
“We are the first responders when an injury happens during games and/or practices,’’ said Nicole Siglin, who’s been the athletic trainer at Holliston High for the last nine years.
The theme for March is: “Athletic Trainers Impact Health Care Through Action.’’ And, what better way to highlight the month than to focus on the pro-active approach that ATs have taken in the Tri Valley League to demonstrate health care in action. “The TVL has accomplished ATs taking care of student athletes at their respective schools,’’ Siglin said. “National Athletic Trainers Month is an opportunity to recognize hard-working professionals and highlight their importance in keeping athletes safe.’’
An AT for 24 years, Siglin’s experience includes high school outreach, junior ice hockey and college athletics before becoming the first full time AT at Holliston. A graduate of SUNY Cortland, Siglin played a major role in helping Holliston to be recognized as a Safe Sports School by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. This award puts an exclamation point on her level of commitment and safety to Holliston’s student athletes.
Because of Siglin’s help in coordinating the background information below, this writer is able to present a thumbnail look at all the ATs in the TVL.
• MICHELE NORMAN — A graduate of Merrimack College, she’s been the catalyst in establishing a summer injury prevention program at Norton High that keeps athletes at peak performance all year long. Norman has been the Lancers’ AT through her employment at Marathon Physical Therapy for the last three years.
• AMANDA MAGIER — Hopkinton High’s AT graduated from the University of New Hampshire and worked as a research assistant at the Wingate Institute for Physical Education in Israel. She was an assistant AT at Wellesley High after returning to the U.S.. Now in her first year with the Hillers, she established an Athletic Training Student Aide program.
• AIMEE MENDOZA — Ashland High’s AT is a native of Maryland where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She later acquired her masters at California University of Pennsylvania. Before becoming the first full-time AT at Ashland, she developed the concussion protocol and implemented ImPACT testing at Natick High, where she was an AT for eight years.
• SEAN POWERS — Now in his second year at Medway High, he graduated from the University of New England. He worked at St. Mark's School and Lawrence High as an assistant AT and Strength & Conditioning Coordinator before arriving at Medway High in 2018. At Medway, he has collaborated with a local physical therapy clinic to provide weekly visits to help support rehabilitating students, and faculty/staff from injuries during the school year.
• JAMIE FARIAS — A graduate of Northeastern University, she’s been the athletic trainer at Millis for 14 years. She has played an integral role in the overall success of the Mohawks’ athletic program, which includes nine state championships. She also has helped draft the school’s concussion management program and integrated athletics with school health services.
• TANYA GALLAGHER — After working at Bryant University and M.I.T., she became the first AT at Dover-Sherborn Regional through ATI Physical Therapy. During her 13-year tenure, she established many of the current injury protocols and created the Emergency Action Plans for each venue in order to keep her athletes safer. Gallagher is a graduate of Lasell University.
• MICHELLE McCOLGAN — A graduate of Bridgewater State, she began working at Dedham in 2013 through Marathon Physical Therapy. She initiated in-season and summer conditioning for the student-athletes and was able to acquire funding allowing for free EKG’s for all students.
• JEN DOWD — An AT for 25 years, she’s currently working at Bellingham High. Dowd is a graduate of Keene State and her extensive experience includes college and high school athletics. In addition to her AT duties at Bellingham, she has been a clinical instructor for athletic training students. She’s also a part-time professor at Bridgewater State teaching the next generation of athletic trainers.
• PAUL LILLA — The Westwood AT for 19 years, he attended Boston University and was in the first graduating class through the Athletic Training graduate program at Bridgewater State. After pursuing sports management in Boston and New York City, he returned to athletic training at Westwood. He has had an impressive impact on the athletic program at Westwood serving as the first and only full time AT the school has employed.
• MARIA HUTSICK — An Ithaca College alumna who was recently inducted into its Hall of Fame, she has been an AT for 43 years. She was a Yale University AT before becoming Director of Sports Medicine at Boston University (27 years). She later became the AT at Medfield (13 years). An AT spotter for the NFL, she’s responsible for implementing the “same sideline” rule in the TVL for sub-varsity football. This policy requires both teams to be on the same sideline so that the AT has direct access to both teams to provide care for injured players.
• HANNAH JOHNSON — A graduate of Merrimack College, she’s in her first year at Norwood. Employed though Marathon Physical Therapy, she’s been able to build a solid foundation of communication with the students and coaches since arriving last August. She is also helping with the strength and conditioning program for off-season football.