Dr. Mercedes Himmons believes the Diversity and Inclusion committees of her state organization are doing a really good job. She has worked hard to set the example and is now leading in the PATS organization
Dr. Himmons, if I walked down the hall of your parents’ house what would the pictures tell me about you?
I am sassy, always wore dresses and I am family-oriented.
What levels of education do your family members have?
I am a first-generation college graduate.
You have been traveling the world and Cairo on a camel at sunset was one of your highlights. Tell me more.
Dream trips:
Paris and Rome
Turks and Caicos
What is your favorite thing about athletic training and sports medicine?
Relationships
What is our working definition of diversity?
Having multiple people regardless of background all in the same place.
Make sure all of those people are heard and seen and their perspective is taken into account.
How about inclusion?
The word belonging is a good fit instead of inclusion.
What would you like to see from the local, district, and national levels within the profession?
PATS is doing a good job of trying to close the gap.
Racism is a public health issue
Be good humans to each other
The majority of our patient population as ATs is nonwhite but the majority of the ATs are white, so there is some disconnect.
Show that you are willing to learn and understand.
You are the NATA president. What would your platform be on diversity and inclusion for the profession? What about for NATA as an association?
First I would like to take the temperature of the room.
Everyone matters and should have a voice.
Keep the patient at the center of our focus.
Listening to understand and not just to reply.
What is some advice you would give companies looking to diversify? What about MSAT programs?
It would depend on the demographic
Retention is very important, what are you doing to keep the diversity?
Anything you would like to say to listeners that want to be an ally. What would you like to see or hear?
People need to know that they are going to step in and do the right thing to help eradicate the negative behavior.
A fun song from the musical Hamilton, “What Comes Next” is the line we are focused on for the start of the 2021 leadership in AT podcast series.
Thanks Patrick Ohaver for putting it all together.
What comes next??
You have wanted to move up to a leadership position in the company, the school, or even a professional organization.
Just as a young America made the leap into independence, now you are given the opportunity to lead.
That is the question on this episode..
Do you know how hard it is to lead?
Patrick– As Former supervisor for a hospital Outreach based program I was given the task of leading approximately 25 athletic trainers. Some of these athletic trainers were my peers and that in itself is a difficult part to lead your own peers.I really resonated with this song in Hamilton as I knew it would be difficult to lead however I did not realize the full extent until I was in that situation. It is difficult to lead and not just your peers but to lead a cohesive group of athletic trainers.
I was fortunate enough to have mentors that were in leadership positions and I observe them through my career taking mental notes on what I would do in certain situations how I would overreact how I would respond however I learned so much during my tenure as the supervisor of Athletic Training Services and dealt with a lot of specific leadership challenges.
Patrick — Another point in King George's song what comes next really struck me was when your people say they hate you don't come crawling back to me. Now as a recovering people pleaser, I strive to make everyone feel Equitable and try to look for the win-win. However, during my time I discovered win-win just doesn't work out sometimes. When you have to lead a large group you are not going to please everyone now. I would not say that my employees “hated me “ however some decisions that were made did not meet with high favor.
I can recall a time when we sent out an employee satisfaction survey. It was a sort of 360-degree look at our leadership team.
Through the eyes of the employees and I was expecting an overall positive response however, the amount of negative response was shocking and really caused a point of reflection and revaluation of my leadership style and our leadership team’s style.
I was fortunate enough to work with two other athletic trainers in the leadership team. We assisted each other and each had our own strengths and weaknesses in the leadership team. However, that employee survey was a watershed moment for me and my leadership style.
Have you had an employee survey or an evaluation done on you that was not what you expected and did it change your outlook?
George Washington states – “Winning was easy, leading is harder”-
This point in the musical also echoes a similar thought that getting to the top may be easy however leading is harder.
Leading your peers is very difficult. We can look back at a recent Facebook post in the Secondary School group where an employee was ranting to her “friend” who was in an administrative position about the organization. I am not sure what was said or how it was said however the other party deemed it necessary to inform her superiors and her subordinate was reprimanded.
There's a good book called “From buds to boss” by Guy Harris and Kevin Eikenberry. It's a good book and help me get some perspective in my early supervisory times.
Being the boss isn't all Fame and Glory. Some people want that prestige and that title however, if you're not prepared, then it may be more of a detriment than an aid.
Call to action:
Were you ever on your own? I recently heard from a long-time listener Caleb who was out in China as an AT and he was on his own for a while. Share your story with us.
In AT Inventors part 2 Jay and Elysia discuss establishing a business and product testing.
Some of the topics we discussed include:
Establishing Business
Defining your core values before establishing a business
If you define the core values and base all your decisions on that then decisions are a lot easier.
It is easy to chase every shiny object but as a startup, you need to be focused on doing one thing well.
Articles of organization
Business insurance, product liability and other protections
J: I do not have a reseller license, for now, I am a direct-seller only.
E: Reseller certificate allows you to get items tax-free that you are going to use for your business. You need this to sell it anywhere, like a trade show…this is so you can pay more taxes.
Depending on structures you may set up monthly sales tax or quarterly.
E: Product liability insurance – Mine is high since I am looped in there with skateboards where people break bones often.
I have been able to break that into 4 payments so it is not a huge hit
My patent fee structure is confusing and I break it up to level out the costs.
Design and utility patents are different – again a couple of thousand dollars for the attorney fee.
And nobody gets approved on the first round so be ready for that. Lots of small adjustments.
Consider if you really need a patent or can you focus on other aspects of the business?
Business structure types, LLC, sole or other corporations
Toki Nakazawa – you can function as an S corp using Form 1120S even though you are an LLC
Funding vs bootstrapping your business financial needs
How do you manage a business partnership? Do you want a business partnership
Is Shark Tank or other investors an option
J: the style of my product is already out there, i am just making it more specific for our situation.
E: KNOW YOUR PRODUCT LINE
J: Is it sustainable?
Method of selling product (direct, wholesale, etc)
Where is all the money going? Proper accounting and continual costs
When to consider employees, worker comp insurance, payroll and managing other people
E: I answer all of my phone calls and emails. Do you want to make money or provide something that enriches the lives of others?
If money is your motivation then focus on that.
If freedom of schedule is your goal, focus on that.
J: My military price is important to me. I want to support and help those that have protected us and given me so much.
Why people always ask about how much money you make, how many units you sell and if you are a million dollar company
The importance of good business mentors who understand your product line
J: I am always cautious because it is a dog eat dog world
E: One of my college professors keeps a log of all her incoming and outgoing calls
Leave the end of the day with your desk clean
Through the years I have been able to meet all of my product owners. These inventors offered to help in establishing a business. I reached out and they helped out
SBA and SCORE are great resources
Some of the advice was helpful in that it showed me the wrong path.
When to quit your day job and jump all in with your business
J: Elysia, you are really an example. The passion in me really says let's go all-in with Nexus because I feel I am mediocre at both right now. I am not ready to leave the day job yet (I have a baby on the way).
E: Lots of friends know they can not start a business because of the family's need for stability.
It may take you longer, but you can do it.
“I can not keep doing it with the work schedule and my health…it is time”
You can jump right back into AT if needed.
Testing
The MVP-Mean Viable Product
How do you choose a product line and different tiers of quality
When to diversify and when to stay focused on your product line
Do you have multi-purpose materials or interchangeable parts
Is your product safe, allergy free, structurally sound or have a shelf life
How do you manage broken products?
E: Don’t make broken Products!!!
It is part of the process..my eyes are on everything, so i am quality control
“If the recipe is working don’t change it”
Honor your warranty but protect yourself.
Do not always apologize for things…say thanks for waiting instead of sorry I am late
J: I wish I could be all in on quality control.
Materials are important
I can not re-make the whole product to fit the needs of one person.
Is it hype or is it real- managing people who want product for free and offer false promises
E: some people are upset that they don’t want to afford it.
Is this really going to be a good partnership or is it smoke and mirrors.
I do not have any paid nice words people…they all bought the product and decided to say something positive
J: via social media, I get at least a message a week…everyone has to pay.
Deaf Athletes speak a different language, they are not disabled. They maybe Hard of Hearing but not any less capable. We have to learn how to provide healthcare for them the same as the hearing athletes.
Jennifer Warren learned signed language as a kid to communicate with one of her teammates and has continued learning and using the skills through her career.
Josh Woodall and John Ciecko have first hand experience working with deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes and share some ways we can provide more equitable care.
Jennifer, what is the best tip you have for working with hard of hearing or deaf athletes?
I would suggest that the hearing community speak naturally to those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Many can read lips, but when we accentuate our words, it distorts our mouths, which can make it more difficult to read lips.
Second tip, most people who are deaf and hard of hearing appreciate any sign language you may know. Spelling out words or signing slowly is welcomed and appreciated.
John: Communicate eye to eye, never tell the interpreter “tell them this…”, people of various abilities should never be excluded from sports.
Only 30% of the English language can be read on lips, and that’s with perfect lighting and a couple of strong cups of coffee. Helmets, low hats, or any kind of obstruction to see someone's face and mouth hinders this ability to catch what’s being said on the lips. This is why it’s so important for Athletic trainers to learn the basics of ASL.
Josh, give us an example of how you have used this or other tips from Jennifer?
The first week in Bryan ISD I had an athlete with a broken radius/ulna so had to learn real quick how to communicate with an interpreter.
Jennifer, what should we know about working with deaf and hard of hearing athletes?
Not all disabilities are cognitive disabilities. In fact, the deaf community does not see hearing loss as a disability. The deaf and hard of hearing community prefer to be seen as a community that uses a different mode of communication, rather than a group with a disability.
American Sign Language is considered a foreign language, which is simply a different mode of communication. The need to use sign language is comparable to the need to use Spanish when a student’s primary language is Spanish. This means that deaf or hard of hearing students are very capable or able to participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities.
Also, the words ‘deaf or hard of hearing’ can seem like a harsh way to describe a people group, but it is actually what is accepted and preferred by the deaf community.
And, Deaf and hard of hearing students may not hear the starter’s gun or whistles blowing. Adjustments may need to be made to allow for access to the audible elements of the sport.
Discuss some of the hearing devices and how we can protect those for participation.
Most students self-care for their devices by the time they make it to the secondary sports level. But, AT’s (Athletic Trainer/Assistive Technology) may find it helpful to know how to support these athletes:
FM systems – wireless assistive hearing devices that enhance the use of hearing aids. The coach or AT may wear a mic that is bluetoothed to the student’s hearing aid or cochlear implant. This allows the student to hear direct voice from the coach or AT.
Hearing aids -small device that fits on or in the hear to amplify sound
Cochlear implants – small device that consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin. The device has several parts that help reproduce the effects of sound.
It may be helpful for the AT to offer a secure place to store the devices.
John: actual sound or noise that comes through the auditory devices can vary from what you and I hear as hearing individuals, which is why it’s not always enough for effective communication especially in a loud setting such as an athletic field – to keep in mind for ATs
What is something about this population that is probably misunderstood?
Language (foreign language)
Disability vs Mode of Communication-little to no modifications to be able to participate in sports
Deaf Culture-
John: Actual athletic ability is affected or that someone who is deaf or hard of hearing “don’t understand”
Accommodations needed
Section 504 and the ADA require that “reasonable accommodations” must be provided for an individual who can establish that he has a “disability” and that he is “otherwise qualified” to participate in the sport or activity in question. An accommodation can be an interpreter, lights or whatever is dictated by the student’s 504 plan.
Talking slower or louder does not help! However, facing the athlete and speaking directly to them does.
Deaf individuals also rely on facial expressions (the picture of me proposing to Jenny with my eyebrows raised indicates a question!)
Have empathy!!!
What are some “PC” or non-PC things to say or talk about regarding our hearing-impaired athletes?
Auditory Impairment or Hearing Impaired is now replaced with Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Watching people have a conversation in sign language is the same as eavesdropping a verbal conversation.
Josh-example of working with interpreters (interpreters translate what is being said exactly the way it is said).
Signs we want you to know
Help Thanks Yes No Pain Water Name
Podcasts or Youtube channels you like for learning more?
Lifeprint.com for learning sign and about deaf culture and history
Signingonline.com – For full lessons (fully online) based on a two-year curriculum. Used by high schools, colleges, and universities for their 2-year world language credits. Also used to obtain CEs (WHICH I'M PUSHING THE BOC TO ADOPT)
AT Dads are similar to dads in every other profession: great, average, or awful. Dads are one of the biggest influences in the life of a child for both good and bad.
Meet our AT Dads
Ed, what is the one question you want answered by the end of the episode?
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced balancing being a father and an athletic trainer?
Prioritize and set non-negotiables
Were you able to increase the amount of quality time throughout their childhood and adolescence? And if yes, how?
Friday Pizza Nights
Driving to school with altered schedules
Joel?
How understanding does your significant other need to be in order to find the balance?
Larry’s wife was non-athletic so she does not fully understand the lifestyle.
Larry used to hold a team meeting to discuss the week and expectations and schedule.
Has the balance ever brought you to consider changing settings/roles in the profession?
Jeremy:
As an AT Dad, How do I foster a lifetime relationship with my children?
Larry, let’s start back in the beginning.
When did you meet your wife and marry?
Wrestled in high school and in community college
Left and went to Pitt
Wanted to be an architect, then an accountant. Realized he could not stay inside all day every day
Larry’s uncle introduced him to athletic training
Was a student teaching and doing field experience at Baldwin high school.
One of the team members introduced him to his wife.
Went to Sugarbowl with Pittsburgh and spent a lot of money on alcohol and she possibly saved his liver and his life.
First Job in Arlington VA as a certified AT
Got married over Thanksgiving in his first year as a teacher.
His wife attended a lot of the games and they became friends with one of the coaches and his spouse.
Moving 6 hours away from his parents brought him closer to his wife.
Waited 5 years to have kids and spent a lot of time investing in each other.
Larry’s wife got a job at Larry’s school so they got to work together.
The first kid
Sarah born in April 1990
The most rewarding job I have ever had was being a dad.
They moved back to Pennsylvania and worked at a clinic. He used this time to spend with family.
Larry would take his daughter to pre-school daily and work on the counting skills while in the car.
The Second Kid
Molly was born in 1993
Another AT joined Larry on staff that allowed him some more time off
Third time is the charm…
Delaney was born in 1997 and they had 3 full-time ATs on staff at that time
Larry was involved in the state association and coaching soccer..life was busy, but life was good.
All 3 played Volleyball, cross country, soccer.
The administration was supportive and family-oriented when his daughter was born.
His wife stayed home with the kids.
Larry was able to take 2 weeks off and then proceeded to juggle and balance.
Pizza Friday – they would come up for dinner each Friday night and eat together.
His kids still carry on that tradition with their own.
Eat dinner together whenever possible
During summer Larry would plan camping trips and travel the country. One trip was 7.5 weeks with a family camper.
“We are going to be in this area, what do you want to do?”
Dinner etiquette means starting with the outside and working your way in with the silverware. Social Media Etiquette is an everchanging environment but certain truths hold solid.
Is Social Media important for the Sports Medicine Professional?
YES! – there is so much to learn. Find a good knowledge stream on twitter or facebook and you will be completely filled. It can be a source of customers and advocacy as well as connection and mentoring.
CAUTION!!! – Social media can also become a breeding ground for decay if you choose to follow and engage with “dead fruit.”
Do these things
Know your WHY
Start with ONE
Know your LIMITS
be YOURSELF
Remember there are real people reading these
CHECK your spelling and grammar
PROTECT patient privacy
Don't do these things
Use foul/inappropriate language
Use inappropriate pictures
Share pictures of videos with ANY injury details
Think “permission to post” clears you legally
Forget there are real people on the receiving end
Be too serious
Forget your WHY
Tips and Tricks
Be a sponge first
If you are new to Social Media start with one platform and be a creeper for a little while. Read posts, watch others and see what is normal for that platform.
Use different apps for different accounts
TweetDeck for Personal and Twitter app for Bussiness or
Hoot suite for all personal accounts and native apps for professional
Tools to check that spelling
Grammarly – checks spelling and grammar
PhraseExpress – allows me to type “SMB” and it automatically gets expanded to “Sports Medicine Broadcast”
Dr. Sarah Duvall Joins the Sports Medicine Broadcast to discuss Incontinence in Female Athletes from her years of experience training medical professionals in assessing and treating incontinence.
What is incontinence?
An intimidating word… Dr. Sarah Duvall likes to use leakage instead of incontinence to help break down barriers.
Simply put it is leaking urine or feces, but most commonly it is urine.
What does incontinence look like in the young healthy female athlete?
1 in 4 or 25% or 4 of your 12 volleyball players likely experiences urinary leakage.
You as a health care provider may be able to help them perform better without concern of incontinence.
Dr. Duvall treated a 14-year-old runner who experienced leakage while competing in races.
What are some causes?
Pregnancy is a major contributor and multiple pregnancies increase the chance.
Today we discuss two main types:
Urge – Psychological urgent need to urinate that may be triggered by location or proximity to the bathroom.
Stress-related – emotional or physical stress. This may be due to stretched out bladder or lack of regular urination.
How can athletes figure out the source without seeing a healthcare provider?
Treatments for incontinence:
In normal healthy non-traumatized women retraining your bladder should take about 3 days.
What should ATs know?
With nearly 25% of your high school and college-age female athletes experiencing leakage, ATs need to be comfortable discussing the issue.
The more knowledge we have the better we can treat and refer our patients on to the next qualified provider.
If you are uncomfortable discussing the topic think about it like a shoulder or another body part that is less intimidating.
John and Jeremy have no connections 4 years ago. Just social media friends.
We have grown to be trusted friends. I would let John stay at my house for a week if he was in Houston.
I have begun texting a group of guys each week so that I am being intentional about building relationships. I schedule that text early in the week so that I know it is going out.
“Look for beauty wherever you are, and keep the memory of it with you.”
For John, this page of Only One You reminds me to keep the memory of the good moments or wins or championships for when times are tough (tough teams, injuries, coaches, etc.)
This line speaks to me to not take pictures of everything, but be in the moment and take a picture in my head. create the moment instead of focusing on the perfect shot
“Blend in when you need to. Stand out when you have the chance.”
John: Leadership Capital – Know when to speak up but know when you sit back and listen. For me, those that stand out have egos. This never helps with relationship building.
“Let others speak your praise” – Kevin Parker
“Find your own way. You don’t have to follow the crowd.”
Jeremy: When I started in 2012 there was maybe one other sports medicine podcast focused on Athletic Trainers. I did not sit back and wait for someone else to start one. From October 2013 through October 2019 there have been over 524,00 downloads of the Sports Medicine Broadcast.
Blaze a path as an athletic trainer. Get unique certifications, specialize and set yourself apart.
“Personal development as professional development.” – Kent Games
“Know when to speak; know when to listen.”
This goes back to “blending in” Speaking is important but only after you have all the information. Listening is the most important aspect of leadership.
Mark Knoblauch told me: “The ATs who get angry and get into arguments are the ones who are usually inexperienced and have a need to prove themselves.”
Or there is the Fight Club quote: “Most people do not really listen they only wait for their turn to speak.”
“No matter how you look at it, there is so much to discover.”
Both John and Jeremy agree “One of the things I’ve learned doing this podcast is that; there is always more to learn. Every time I think I've figured things out, I realize there’s something else I need to know.
“If you make a wrong turn, circle back.”
John likes this quote from Only One You. He knows mistakes happen in our daily and professional life. Leat's learn from them and “circle back.”
Repeat podcast guest Brandy Currie says reflection is key and she does it daily.
Then there was the time my son dropped a googly eye into his ear…our circling back was to buy an otoscope.
“If something gets in your way, move around it.”
Jeremy: Usually when I am given a rule my first thought is how can I get around this… not always the best way of thinking, but I tend to look for other options.
John: Realize things change, schedules change, obstacles will occur but relax, detach, adapt and overcome.
This is another opportunity to reflect and circle back on how things can change and listen to all of the details before speaking.
“Set aside some quiet time to relax and reflect every day.”
John: This is one of the most important things to me in that every day I get time to myself. Most of the time I have to make it whether that’s getting up at 4am to work out or scheduling time on my calendar to actually sit and read. We also covered this with “Learn to Say No” and Prioritize and Execute.
John LOVES to read, so sometimes he wakes up early, goes to the gym and rides the bike so he can sit and read
“Appreciate art. It’s all around you!”
Have fun during games, enjoy the small things and enjoy when your athletes achieve their goals.
“Make wishes on the stars in the nighttime sky.”
John: Have a vision, set goals create your value.
Jeremy: Take time to look up and see the stars. The small things that are always there. Do not look past what is in front of you.
My wife does this with our youngest…just sits back and watches.
I often ask my family to not say I can not wait until “_______” is over. there is way too much to miss.
Closing out Only One You
“‘Thanks for listening,” mama said.
“We hope you will remember.” Papa winked and whispered, “We know this is a lot for you to think about.”
Adri did a backward somersault and smile. He was excited to go out into the world with what he had just learned. “‘Wait for me!” he shouted to his friends.
Before he swam away, he turned back to his parents and said, “I will remember.”
Mama kissed Adri on the top of his head. “There is only one you in this great big world,” she said. “Make it a better place.”
A data analysis consultant that helps you move all of your data into a centralized cloud based storage location.
Kevin can help you visualize your data in a way that is easy for the average person to understand.
The future is being given to data analyst
Have you read Moneyball or or Astroball?
The managers of those teams made huge decisions based on data analytics.
Ask any administrator about getting a new person and they will ask you for your data to support the need and the value it would provide to the program.
New administrative jobs are being given to people who can collect, interpret and produce visuals based on data