Getting athletes back in the game
By Amy Carton (Geneseo Republic)Helping athletes get in the best shape possible for their upcoming season and back on the field after an injury are the things Geneseo’s new athletic trainer Romotthy Quashie prides himself on and he looks to continue his work in Geneseo with a new group of athletes.
Quashie, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, comes to Geneseo from Kansas where he has spent the last nine years working. He has been in the United States for 14 years.
“I came to the US on a scholarship to play soccer in college,” said Quashie. “My first experience with athletic training was when I got hurt playing soccer and went into the training room and I was just fascinated. No one on the island where I lived did that. I saw there was a real need for it. I care a lot about health in general and getting people well and back into sports.”
Quashie came to the US to attend Sue Bennett College in London, Ky. for two years and played soccer. He later transferred to Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, N. C., where he was a member of the men’s soccer team, and graduated in 2000 with his undergraduate degree. He moved on to graduate from the University of Kansas in 2003 with a master’s degree in health, sports and exercise science. While at Kansas, he worked with the football team and women’s rowing team as an assistant trainer.
He also got some big time experience when he interned in the National Football League for the New York Jets. Quashie then became the head trainer at the University of St. Mary in Kansas.
Most recently, Quashie worked for a high school in Kansas City, Kan. before arriving in Geneseo.
Quashie and his wife, Philo and sons, Drew and Jace, live in Silvis and came to the area after his wife was transferred through John Deere.
“I had a great experience talking with the hospital staff at Hammond-Henry Hospital and then I came and saw the facilities and I was real impressed,” said Quashie. “I have been to a lot of colleges and besides the University of Kansas, Geneseo’s facilities are way above.”
What drew Quashie to the position in Geneseo he said was the fact the hospital can reach out to the community in the way it does.
“Working with athletes full time means a lot and this is a community where everyone looks out for each other,” said Quashie.
Quashie officially started his position July 6 and was able to learn the ropes from former trainer Jared Donley and the rest of the Hammond-Henry Sports Medicine team.
“My experience so far has been great,” said Quashie. “I have learned more about strength and conditioning in a week than in my entire career. I have learned a lot from John Davis and Todd Ehlert. We have a lot of resources here.”
Quashie views strength and conditioning as a major component to athletics because it is all about preparing athletes for physical activity and preventing injuries.
“Strength and conditioning exercises is something athletes can take with them and it makes life a lot easier when making the move to college athletics,” said Quashie. “Geneseo’s program is close to or better than some college programs and the facilities are great.”
With the fall sports season starting up next week, Quashie is preparing to take on his new role in full force and is getting ready to bring new insight to the position.
“I hope my expertise and past work experiences will prove to be beneficial to the Geneseo athletic programs and sports medicine team at Hammond-Henry,” said Quashie about what he hopes to bring to his new position.
“What we do as athletic trainers doesn’t change, the only difference is there are more opportunities at college and you can’t use all the equipment with the high school athletes. With high school athletes is when you have to be creative.
“You have to educate the athletes, it is the key. If you have the knowledge you are able to do it and teach others.”
Quashie said what he is looking forward to most is football season because of the vast amount of injuries, but says it is not good that kids get hurt, but it keeps him sharp.
The most severe injury Quashie has had to deal with is a concussion.
“We had to work hard to keep the kid from falling asleep,” said Quashie. “I would say that was the most severe because that was life threatening.”
When an injury occurs Quashie says he knows exactly what to do because when he is watching practices he runs through scenarios in his mind.
The one thing Quashie is not looking forward to is the cold weather, but he says he will deal with it.
Besides working with the Geneseo athletes and covering all the sporting events, Quashie works part time at the Hammond-Henry clinic, travels to Annawan and Cambridge for visits with their athletes. He is also currently pursuing his strength and conditioning certification.
“The coaches have all been very welcoming and I don’t have a problem with people,” said Quashie. “It is very easy for me to get along with people. The athletes are a little shy and maybe it is the respect factor, but I think they have to figure me out first. They will gradually warm up.”
As far as balancing the long and late night work commitments and family time, Quashie said there is no problem there.
“This is what I have been doing and my family understands what I do,” said Quashie. “You have to not get stressed and make time for family time. I have a pretty good balance.”
Quashie also finds time to give back to his home country by making trips back to Trinidad and Tobago every year and he tries to bring back tape and whatever he can to help out. While back at home he teaches people the new techniques he has learned and shares his knowledge.
“I get a great satisfaction from helping people,” said Quashie of the main reason why he stays on the field as an athletic trainer. “It can get exhausting working long hours, but to get an athlete back on the field, I get a great deal of satisfaction knowing I had something to do with helping them.”
