Jennie Ed Provides GCHS With Athletic Trainer

Glenwood Community High School has contracted with Jennie Edmundson Physical Therapy to provide a full-time athletic trainer for all sports at the high school.

Jennie Edmundson, a division of Methodist Health System, has been providing full-time athletic trainers to Council Bluffs’ four high schools for nearly 20 years. But this is the first time the program has extended outside Council Bluffs. Glenwood is the first non-Council Bluffs high school to be offered the full-time service.

Ryan Houser has been tabbed as Glenwood’s athletic trainer. Officially a Jennie Ed employee, Houser will office out of the training room at the high school. Houser’s services are being provided at no cost to the district.
Houser’s staffing completes several years of work by the district and Glenwood Activities Director Jeff Bissen to get a full-time trainer in the building for the athletic program.

“We’ve been trying to get a full-time person in here to be available for kids during the day and all the practices and all the events we have going on in the district for a while,” Bissen said. “He (Houser) started (last Monday) and we put him to work at the J-V football game that night.”

Houser, an Omaha-native, has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois, where he worked with the Illini’s track and field and cross country teams. Prior to returning to Omaha-metro area, Houser worked on the athletic training staff at Texas Christian University.

Houser will work with all of the school’s sports programs and cover all home sporting events as well as varsity road football games. While he’s still getting his feet wet and getting to know the athletes and coaches he will work closely with, student-athletes are able to stop by his training room office as needed for injuries or treatment.

“I think people are just starting to figure out I’m here but I’ve been working with some of the cross country girls and with (football) Coach Faust and his staff,” Houser said. “I think people are excited about the prospect of having a full-time trainer in the building.”

Typically, when an athlete sustains an injury, Houser will evaluate the player and communicate with the coach and athlete as to whether they can play or if they need to consult a physician. But Houser will also consult on injury prevention and recovery, proper icing and stretching techniques and tape ankles as needed.

While a full-time athletic trainer position is new to Glenwood, Jennie Ed’s trainers aren’t new to Glenwood. The company’s trainers worked most of the school’s home events last year on a part-time basis and home football games the year prior. Trainers have also been making time every Tuesday at the school to see athletes.

Bissen said having a full-time athletic trainer is a trend among larger high schools in Iowa. Currently Hawkeye 10 Conference schools Lewis Central and Creston have full-time trainers of their own.

“He’ll help out our coaches a lot taping ankles and getting kids ready for practice,” Bissen said of Houser. “He’ll help with nagging injuries, ice after practice and if kids get dinged up during practice he can be there and he can come up with different stretches. The ultimate goal is to get kids back on the playing field as soon as possible.”

Glenwood head football coach Cory Faust is a big fan of the hiring.
Faust said having a full-time trainer on staff at practices and games is a “huge step for the program.”

“I think having a full-time trainer is a huge advantage for our parents, players and coaches,” Faust said. “Having a qualified health professional on site to evaluate players immediately if an injury happens takes a lot of stress off of coaches and helps ensure we are doing all we can to make football as safe as possible for our players.”

Maria Jacobus, Glenwood’s head volleyball coach, agrees. She said having a full time trainer provides the athletic department an invaluable resource she’s already seen pay dividends with some of her athletes’ nagging injuries.

“I believe having an athletic trainer on staff will not only help with short -term injuries and recovery, but will also be an asset in creating a long -term health and wellness plan for all our programs,” she said. “Healthy athletes equals healthy programs equals increased success.”