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FRESH FACES ADD TO A GROWING ATHLETICS CULTURE AT MBU B Y B I L LY C O F F E Y
MARAH JONES Serving as athletic trainer to Mary Baldwin University’s student-athletes can be a frenzied job. The responsibilities are numerous. The daily duties are varied. Weekends are often workdays. Marah Jones would have it no other way. Born in Silver Spring, Maryland, and raised in Staunton, Jones graduated with a BS in kinesiology from James Madison University in 2010 and comes to MBU from nearby Shenandoah University, where she served as an assistant athletic trainer. At MBU, she designs prevention programs for student-athletes who may be at risk for injuries, as well as programs to assess, treat, and rehabilitate injuries so an athlete can return to the playing field as quickly and safely as possible. “That’s the best and most rewarding part,” she said. “To see an
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MARY BALDWIN MAGAZINE
athlete performing at a high level sustain an injury to the point where they cannot do anything, and then work hard and rehabilitate their way back to 100 percent under the guidance of an AT.” Jones’ expertise and dedication to student-athletes has made her an integral part of MBU’s athletics program. For her, Mary Baldwin offers an abundance of the two things she loves most: helping people and watching sports. “Marah has been treating me since the second week of the season,” said Savannah McGavock, a freshman from Water Valley, Mississippi, and, setter for the volleyball team. “She encouraged me to stay positive no matter how many setbacks I had. Every day when I come to therapy, she’s always laughing or has a smile on her face. She’s so knowledgeable, and I always trust her to take great care of me.”
