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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?”
Watch the AT Dads 1 Facebook video
These people LOVE Athletic Trainers and help support the podcast:
Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.
Donate and get some swag (like Patreon but for the school)
HOIST – No matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST
MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second year free, and support the podcast.
Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.
Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.
Donate and get some swag (like Patreon but for the school)
HOIST – No matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST
MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second year free, and support the podcast.
Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.
Rob Huggins and Larry Cooper discuss the ATLAS project, some of the finding and some of the cool things that are coming from it.