Rome Reporter

Athletes at Rome High School are greeted with open arms by athletic trainers Chad Wilson and Sarah Waters when they enter the training room. Provided by Atrium Health Floyd, these trainers are eager to assist with warmups, rehabilitation, or even just a friendly conversation about improvement.

Chad Wilson's journey to becoming an athletic trainer began at Rome High during his senior year. Reflecting on his experience, Wilson said, “When I was in high school, I pitched here. And the second to last game of my senior year, I ended up hurting my elbow. I needed Tommy John surgery. That kind of exposed me more to the health and the injury side of things.” Though initially interested in coaching and teaching history, Wilson found a passion for athletic training in college.

Similarly, Sarah Waters found her calling through her lifelong association with sports. “I've been around sports my whole life,” she stated. Waters expressed a desire to work in healthcare combined with sports, which led her to athletic training. “I wanted to be able to take care of people, but also be in sports. So athletic training is just those two things put together, which is the perfect path for me.”

Waters appreciates the dynamic nature of her job. “When I'm at the high school, I feel like all these kids are like my own little siblings that I'm taking care of. It's fun because you don't always know what you're going to expect.” Her work allows her to track student athletes' growth from their first year through their senior year.

Wilson, now with 18 years of experience, initially did not envision working at his alma mater. He shared, “Working at Rome High was always a dream of mine. Honestly, I didn't ever think that it would happen because when I first graduated, they had a really good guy here. So I thought he would just be there forever.” Returning to Rome High has allowed Wilson to contribute to building its athletic programs.

Wilson was part of a milestone nearly a decade ago when Rome High School's football team won its first state title. “My prayer career-wise was that I just wanted to be a part of a state championship team. It didn't matter what sport. For me to be able to do that here at the school that I went to was amazing,” he recalled.

While Waters has yet to be a part of such a championship run, she said, “That's why I do athletic training honestly and that's what I think most of us would tell you is it just means so much to us to be able to know that we played a small part for the athletes.”

Both trainers emphasize the unpredictability of their work. Waters noted she often braces for the worst when tending to injured athletes. “It's not something crazy, but we always think, worst case scenario, which is kind of how we're trained.” Wilson added that technological advancements now help athletes recover from injuries that were once career-ending. “Through technology and different surgeries and innovations through the therapy side of things, we can actually get that athlete back,” he stated.

Despite the challenges, the trainers' dedication and love for their work are apparent. Wilson remarked, “Coaches get to see what we do on a daily basis, but parents or the community don’t typically see that. We're with these kids every single day doing rehab, doing treatment, staying after workouts or after practices, and taking care of the kids.”

Both trainers are committed to supporting the athletes and their families through any challenges that arise.