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Junior Launches Athletic Training Internship to Help Injured Peers

By Daniel Langhorne
Lola Yeh ’24 broke new ground in December as the first Sage Hill student to intern in the school’s athletic training office.

Lola has attended every winter athletics game at home, working under the supervision of Athletic Trainer Brennon “TK” King. She executes King’s orders whether it’s coaching students through workout routines or taping joints for injury prevention and recovery – plus she’s certified in first aid and CPR.

Lola recalled how a student suffered an ankle sprain during an away game the day before Thanksgiving break. Due to the holiday, the student was unable to get a mobility test from King for over a week.

“I was in charge of running all of his workouts. When TK gives students their workouts they often don’t do it correctly or they finish it too fast. But when I was there I was able to hold them accountable and it sped up their recovery process,” Lola said.

Lola has been interested in pursuing a career in orthopedics since she broke her wrist as an eight-year-old playing on the monkey bars and had to seek treatment at an emergency department. The hospital staff’s beside manner was inspirational, she said.

“I had a hairline fracture in my wrist but after going through this I decided I want to do this and I want to make other people feel like these physicians made me feel,” Lola said.

Lola felt that starting in athletic training, with support from the Sage Hill Internship Program, would be a good stepping stone on a healthcare career pathway. She appreciates that King takes the time to explain the value in more mundane tasks.

“At the beginning of this internship, I was inputting injuries into our SportsWare database, and he said, ‘this may seem taxing but in any medical office you’ll work in there’s a system like this and if you know how it works you’ll now be an expert in it.’”

It’s been fulfilling to watch Lola practice her athletic training and essentially serve as a physical therapist aide in the Athletic Training Office, King said. He was pleased to overhear a coach tell her they would offer her a job one day based on her enthusiastic attitude and healthy work ethic.

“She’s helped my efficiency big time as far as which athletes are doing what. I’ve been able to invite her into injury rehabs so she’s able to see athletes on a continuum of healing from different things,” King said.

Aspects of Lola’s internship are not always glamorous, such as washing and folding towels, typing injury notes into an iPad and keeping the Athletic Training Office tidy.

“She’s very eager to help, eager to please and do whatever is necessary. She has the same joyful attitude folding towels as when she’s putting someone through a workout,” King said.

A trio of Sage Hill boys have already expressed interest in taking on Lola’s position when she steps down this spring, King said.
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Sage Hill School

Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.