During a student-athlete’s season, visits to the athletic trainer are not uncommon. They have experienced what it is like from the athlete’s point of view. This year senior Jenna Baldwin has gotten to experience what it is like from the trainer’s perspective. The opportunity to be a student assistant for the school’s athletic trainer arose on the first day of Baldwin’s sports medicine class. Students were informed that the athletic trainer, Elizabeth Brown, was interested in having student help. Baldwin took advantage of the opportunity and met with Brown the same day after school.

“I go out with her to football practice everyday to facilitate and that kind of thing. So, right now, it is pretty hands off but I am hoping by the end that it will be a little bit more interactive for me,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin believes that interacting with Brown will provide her with many unique benefits and experience for her future.

“I am looking into going into athletic training or physical therapy. I think it’s going to look good on a college resume and will benefit me in the long run. I might see things here that they might not teach about in college or that I won’t see in an internship setting. I think that’s a big benefit,” Baldwin said.

Outside of school and athletic training, Baldwin is involved in teaching Bal-a-vis-x. Baldwin explains Bal-a-vis-x as an acronym for balance auditory visual exercise. It consists of about 300 to 350 exercises using sandbags and racket balls to integrate both sides of the brain.

Baldwin learned Bal-a-vis-x from her mother as well as watching other people do the exercises. She then began helping her mother teach it alongside Bill Hubert, the creator of Bal-a-vis-x.

“My younger brother went to Bill’s studio in Wichita so I watched and picked up some little things here and there. Then, one night he [Hubert] asked me, ‘hey would you like to learn how to teach Bal-a-vis-x’,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin believes that Bal-a-vis-x has multiple benefits and is able to clearly see changes in behavior and composure of the students.

“The rhythm is really grounding. So, if you’re out of control or you aren’t able to regulate yourself then that helps ground you and bring you back down from that high,” Baldwin said. “It can really make you focus and that is just an amazing thing to see.”