Behind Every Healthy Trojan: Katie and Jill Keep Jenks Athletes Going Strong

Sports

Nov 21

By: Aubrey Hovenga

Most fans only see the victories on the field, but behind every healthy Jenks athlete are two women working tirelessly in the shadows. From early-morning treatments to late-night injury checks, athletic trainers Katie Munger and Jill Richardson keep the Jenks Trojans running—quietly, expertly, and without fanfare. This week, I got the chance to step behind the scenes and shadow them, seeing firsthand the nonstop hustle, care, and precision that make them the heartbeat of Jenks athletics.

Athletic Trainers Jill Richardson (left), and Katie Munger (right), standing on the football field at the Allen Trimble stadium.

Walking into the Sharp Center, I was immediately overwhelmed with the traffic of injured athletes swarming the lobby. I squeezed onto the crowded elevator with the hopes of possibly being able to get to the second floor successfully. Finally, I arrived and braced for the storm to come. Katie and Jill awaited me there, both cool, calm, and collected.

Both Katie and Jill have incredibly demanding work and personal lives. Both are mothers, friends, coworkers, teachers, athletic trainers, and so much more. I have firsthand watched them set aside whatever they were doing in the moment and rush to prioritize the needs of a Jenks student athlete.

A patient who could be seen as I walked into the Sports Medicine room, demonstrating an organized rehab stretch.

With no time to waste, they got to work on the injuries at hand. I witnessed patients with sprained ankles, shin splints, pulled muscles, surgery rehab, and so much more. The two trainers handled issue after issue with precision and grace. Most of all, I witnessed an abundance of patience.

The first patient I witnessed was a football athlete with a back injury on the upper left side. First, I watched Jill analyze the situation. After analyzing, she prescribed a set of motions and stretches, which helped see the patient's mobility level and observe the point of pain. Jill modeled each motion before he did them himself. This was intriguing to see because he was able to watch and learn from her example. He then performed the stretch himself, and from there, the real work began.

Trainer Jill teaching a patient how to do a stretch (left), and patient performing the demonstrated stretch (right).

They realized that the issue was a specific point in the shoulder. Jill concurred that it was likely a ‘knot’ and from there they moved from the lobby to an open table to work out the issue.

Trainer Katie assisting a patient with a foot/ankle injury using a scraping tool.

Next, I followed trainer Katie. Katie was occupied with several athletes at the tables. She was juggling a hamstring injury, a knee injury, and a foot injury. Most notably, the foot injury required a lot of attention. With positioning, scraping, and wrapping, I got to watch her handle the situation, and even though I felt stressed, Katie seemed calm and collected.

I was flustered at this point. I watched the line of athletes needing care grow, all while the trainer duo held down the fort and masterfully assisted athlete after athlete. Even for a Wednesday evening, there was so much traffic in the sports medicine room.

The next injury that Katie tackled was a leg/knee injury. She had the patient lie on the table and flex their foot using a stretching medical device. At this point, I learned about the difference in dorsiflexion and plantar flexion, both essential means of movement to the foot and leg.

A patient doing a guided leg stretch on a table.

After shadowing two of the incredible trainers of Jenks athletics, I can say with confidence that we would not be where we are in sports without them. On and off the field, Jill and Katie make up the backbone of Jenks athletics. Both show an immense amount of patience and care, and have to perform under high-stress situations.