Athletic Scholarship ‘Shocks’ Tulsa Tech Student
By DR. STEVE TIGER
Superintendent
TRAINING FOR THE ARENA: Tulsa Tech sports medicine student Amanda Lee stands with her recent High School Outstanding Academic Achievement Scholarship Award. She received the award from the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association.
Courtesy Tulsa Tech
Amanda Lee had already written several essays outlining both her accomplishments as a student and her experiences as a young athletic trainer when she applied for the Oklahoma Athletics Trainers Association Scholarship, but for this unassuming Tulsa Tech Sports Medicine student, the news that she had been awarded the scholarship was still unexpected.
“I was really surprised when I found out that I had won the Scholarship,” Lee says. “I’m very thankful to the , and I appreciate their recognition.”
This Glenpool high school graduate and former point guard played basketball both during the regular season and for summer leagues but began to think about a career as an athletic trainer when a leg injury sidelined her during her junior year.
“I was studying Health Science at Tulsa Tech when I had my injury and surgery,” she says. “That’s when I decided to apply for the Sports Medicine program for my senior year.”
The same drive and determination that made Lee a fierce competitor on the court has also helped to provide her with some fantastic opportunities to discover more about her chosen profession, including internships with the Tulsa Shock and Oklahoma City Thunder affiliate, Tulsa 66ers.
“I love basketball, so getting to work with the Shock, getting to meet the players, and just being that close to the game was incredible,” says Lee. “Each player had their own unique preferences, which could be challenging at times, but I enjoyed providing everything so all of the players could perform at their highest level.”
Lee’s responsibilities before each game included making sure that each player had water, towels, ice for injuries and hydroculators (a quilted heat-pack device filled with a clay-like substance used for pain management and physical therapy), setting up stationary bikes for player warm-ups, checking first aid kits, and making sure that automatic external defibrillators (AED’s) were available.
“Working as an athletic trainer can be challenging when we’re responsible for getting so many things done before the game, during the game and after the game,” Lee says. “What I enjoy the most about this type of work is it’s something different every day. One day it could be a torn muscle or another injury, you really never know.”
Lee wants to earn a degree in athletic training and thought about several area universities before she decided to attend the University of Tulsa.
“I completed my clinicals at TU while I was a student at Tech,” she says. “I really enjoyed the environment, and everyone was very helpful.”
Jill Nerio, a Sports Medicine instructor at Tulsa Tech, thinks Lee has all of the qualities necessary to succeed as a college student and athletic trainer.
“Amanda is a great student,” Nerio says. “Her level of responsibility and professionalism demonstrate she has the desire and goals for what it takes. I have no doubts that she will do an excellent job attending TU and will prosper in the athletic-training profession.”
If you’re currently looking for exciting classes for high school and adult students, quality business and industry training, or an opportunity for a new career, Tulsa Tech invites you to visit today. For more information, please call 918-828-5200 or visit us online at tulsatech.edu.
Updated 06-25-2013
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