For most student athletes, Abby Turbes has been a fixture at sporting events. Turbes, certified athletic trainer, plays a huge role in the administration of the athletics program.

Certified athletic trainers are allied health care professionals that provide sports medicine treatment. Turbes helps Blake athletes with injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergency care and first aid, examination and diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.

Turbes’ flexible hours allow her to care for her 6-month old son until 1-2 in the afternoon before she comes to Blake to help the athletes.

Once students start to arrive at the middle school for athletics, Turbes’ schedule depends on the season. During fall and spring afternoons, she usually prepares water and ice for games and practices. During winter, she usually has more time to take care of her administrative work. On game nights, she does pre-game preparation for those athletes who need it and stays on the sidelines to monitor for injury.

When an athletic injury occurs at an event, Turbes is usually the first professional to evaluate it. She performs any necessary first aid and then recommends treatment. On nights where there are multiple home games, Turbes is able to have another certified athletic trainer come to campus to make sure that there are enough medical professionals available.

Turbes is currently in her 4th year at Blake, and her 10th year working in high school and physical therapy settings.