Student athletes may be used to visiting doctors yearly or physical therapists weekly. Still, the school-based athletic Trainer fills a special role for growing teenage athletes, according to Wayland High School Athletic Trainer Katie Reilly.
“I see the kids every day, good and bad. The changes each day may be minimal,” but over the longer term, “it’s really cool to watch them progress, and the learning,” she said.
Reilly — just “Katie” to the kids — supports the entire student body with her knowledge, experience, and plenty of patience. She recently shared her views about athletic training, education, and nutrition in an interview.
For busy WHS ninth-graders, junior varsity and varsity team members who are also teenagers growing physically, socially, and emotionally, Reilly is a cornerstone of WHS athletics. She’s most visible on the sidelines of a game when dashing over to athletes needing medical attention. But most of the time, she helps student athletes prepare for games, manage recovery, or return to play after an injury.
While only some seniors catch a prized seat in the renowned WHS Anatomy class, Reilly provides key information to WHS student athletes in all four grades. The WHS Trainer’s Room is a fun place filled with smiles and laughter. She helps students understand ways to recover from injuries and prevent injuries. Building awareness about the importance of recovery for their agility, strength, and speed training is key.
Nutrition is also a top theme. “Everything in moderation” is a constant refrain. Trendy energy Celsius drinks containing 200-–300mg of caffeine per can are often consumed at WHS, but like many coaches and other health professionals, Reilly cautions students. “Having a Celsius or a coffee once a day can be OK,” but brain and organ development can be harmed by overdoing it.
Nutrition is part of the job
Reilly noted that an ongoing challenge for teenage athletes can be getting enough calories, which are needed for injury recovery. Ahead of this fall season, she requested snack donations via her social media accounts and received a great response. The snacks are now part of student-athletes’ routines in the trainer’s room. Beyond opening up a dialogue around nutrition and effective refueling, student athletes are often hungry and time-crunched before practice. Last season, Reilly noted a substantial improvement in performance and fewer on-field issues such as cramping among athletes who took time to refuel before practice or games, prompting this year’s renewed effort.
After an athletic career in youth, high school, and college, Reilly graduated from Boston University’s athletic training program and arrived in Wayland in 2020. She’s active on Instagram and TikTok as @waylandatr, where she shared a look at the newly painted trainer’s room.
