Student-athletes fill the athletic trainers’ office during the after-school rush, approaching Shelby McDavid. They’re seeking advice about their injuries, yelling over the cacophony of voices. Amidst the chaos, she remains calm and answers their questions.
Coming from a family of sports medicine experts, Shelby McDavid has had a long-term passion for athletic training. Her excitement for her job as a new athletic trainer and her specific skill set makes her appreciated by those around her.
McDavid has always been interested in sports medicine. Her grandfather started a sports medicine company. In high school, she attended a sports medicine camp and took a class on the subject.
“Sometimes I think, ‘If I had to go back and do something different, what would I do?’ And I think I would still always want to be in this profession. I am really happy with the choice I made, and I’m really lucky that I’ve known for a long time what I wanted to do,” McDavid said.
According to sophomore Katherine Dougan, McDavid has been a big help with her injury.
“I think it’s nice that she’s been giving me stuff to do rather than telling me to take two weeks off. She actually gave me stuff to do during that time so I could work on getting better,” Dougan said.
Head athletic trainer Alex Jzyk said McDavid brings a different skill set to the table, which allows the trainers to offer a more comprehensive approach to working with athletes.
“She does things that I don’t, like cupping and tapings, and I don’t have experience with that, and she does. We went to school at different times and different places, so we learned different things. We have that yin and yang and balance. I do certain things, she does certain things. When I have questions about injuries, I’ll have her take a second look at them,” Jzyk said.
According to Dougan, McDavid has enhanced her recovery experience by tailoring it to her specific needs. She appreciates having more than one person to talk to about her injury.
“She really takes the time to think about me and my individual problems. It gets really busy when it’s just Alex there, so it’s nice having a second person in the room that you can talk to,” Dougan said.
McDavid said she doesn’t just like the job but also the location, the environment and the culture.
“It’s just a perfect place. I really like the town of Brookline and I’m really excited to be here. It’s a really cool place and getting to work with Alex is cool because we get to collaborate and bounce ideas off of each other,” McDavid said. “I think high schoolers are really funny. I like to work with them. I love being in athletics, where you can win an exciting volleyball game in the fifth set. I love being able to be a part of the great sports moments and being with the people that make it great, which are the students.”
Although it is her first year working at the high school, Jzyk said McDavid has proven that she can handle the difficulties that come with after-school sports.
“She just jumped into the most chaotic point of our year seamlessly,” Jzyk said. “She’s positive, she’s upbeat, she’s energetic, so it makes it really easy to work with her. It’s much easier to work with somebody who wants to be here and to learn than somebody who just shows up to work everyday, just because it’s a job.”
