Muir High receives $50,000 grant to fund athletic trainer

Pasadena Muir High is one of 15 schools around the country to be awarded a $50,000 grant to establish an athletic training program to improve youth athlete safety in underserved high schools.

The NFL Foundation, the National Athletic Trainers’ Assn, Gatorade and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society are sponsoring the initiative.

Muir has had no access to an athletic trainer and relies on volunteers to support coaches and medical needs at games. The grant will allow the school to hire a full-time athletic trainer and provide athletic training services for students. The school plans to use the funds to obtain diagnostic tools and technology for proper evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of concussions.

“We’re very, very excited,” said assistant principal Brian James, who joined with a student to seek out the grant.

Muir plans to establish training areas outside involving football, soccer and track athletes and inside for basketball, volleyball and other athletes. The school will hire a full-time trainer and intends to make it a long-term endeavor. Previously, a retired EMT was helping the school with taping and other training issues.

“We’re creating a model we hope is sustainable,” James said.

Muir recently was able to renovate its baseball field with the help of the Dodgers and is raising funds to help support its training program.

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