A group of Southeastern athletic training students recently attended the Student Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association (SEATA) Symposium, representing the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP), winning the Quiz Bowl and placing second in the Food Drive.

“This year’s trip was an amazing success,” said Nicole Phegley, a senior and president of Student Athletic Trainers Association (SATA). “We were able to represent Southeastern’s Athletic Training as a high quality program that can compete and outshine ATEPs in the Southeast region of the country in philanthropy, leadership, academics and professionalism.  This year we became the program to beat for next year’s Symposium.”

For the Quiz Bowl, Southeastern’s SATA went up against 18 other schools from the southeast region, beating them all by betting every point for the final question.

“I would have to say it was a feeling of elation,” said senior Jonathan Ferguson, a member of the Quiz Bowl team Dragon Slayers. “It was a culmination of hard work that we were all wanting for an entire year.  It was an amazing feeling!”

A total of 24 students from Southeastern went to the student symposium.  Phegley felt that the group was able to “represent Southeastern’s Athletic Training as a high quality program” during the SEATA Symposium.

“I enjoyed being in an environment with people who were passionate about the same things I am,” said Katie Becnel, SATA sophomore representative. “It was nice to have a conversation about situations we’ve been placed in and talked about what we do the same and then differently.”

During the symposium, Phegley and Jonathan Gantt presented case studies, following an athlete through the injury process.  According to Phegley, both spent last fall working with college and high school athletes.  They were picked out of 75 students to presents their study.

The symposium is meant to be an educational forum, where students studying to become athletic trainers can attend sessions taught by professionals. There are three levels, or “tracks,” of meetings corresponding to your classification, according to Phegley.

“I would just say that the Athletic Training Education Program and SATA work hand in hand together,” said Phegley. “SATA gives the students opportunities to take on leadership positions and provide them with a support system to be successful. I am so proud of all that we have been able to accomplish not only at Student SEATA, but throughout this past year.”