Questions with Doug Jones ..........

athletic trainer and what lessons did you learn in college that have helped you today?

DJ: I received my education from Creighton University in Omaha. I was fortunate to have learned many skills from Steve Brace, who was my mentor at Creighton. I had some other great mentors while I was at Creighton, including Ben McNair, Ed Halbur and Doc Bevilacqua. I learned a lot of lessons about how to deal with athletes and how to help athletes. I think most of all, I learned compassion for my job and people.

MR: What are the hardest sports to be an athletic trainer for?

DJ: I think that answer depends on who you ask. If you are at a bigger school, football is definitely challenging. Others may say wrestling or hockey or lacrosse.

MR: If you wouldn’t be an athletic trainer, what do you see yourself doing?

DJ: I haven’t thought of it too much, but I always have thought about wanting to do something in medicine, maybe a medic or flight medic.

MR: You played sports in high school, are athletic, what is your athletic background?

DJ: In high school, in Mitchell, Nebraska, I’ve played football, ran track and played baseball in the summer baseball was by far my favorite sport. I had some good coaches who taught me the game.

MR: If you could change anything about the role of an athletic trainer, what would it be?

DJ: I think one thing I would change for athletic trainers would be for people to see how much effort we put in toward jobs. More pay, more days off, more praise are all wonderful things, but I think I would like everyone to know the effort we put in to help athletes recover.

MR: How many of the students that you taught to be an athletic trainer are out there working as athletic trainers or somehow in that field, and what does it mean to you to see students following what you do as an occupation? (you can mention names as well).

Doug Jones is more than an athletic trainer. He is an instructor in the classroom in teaching athletic training classes, but he also steps in and helps in practices like he did at the 2022 women’s national tournament in Lubbock, Texas, as he uses a pad to gives contact to players.

DJ: I’ve had some students from my very first years going to be athletic trainers, and some more within the last few years go on. Thomas Buehler and Bre Perkes were two of my first students to move on. Carol Alves was the first international student I had move on. More recently, Bailee Dopp, Lauren Oxford, Stuart Eurich, Gabby Loya, Taylor VanderWerff and Christina Nelson have moved on.

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