Summary: <br> Muriel, Wyatt, Marisha, Jasmine and Alyssa are Native American Athletic Trainers. They join John Ciecko and Jeremy Jackson to teach about their background, stories, and experiences.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Muriel's Native American Background: <br> <br> <br> <br> I attended several undergraduate programs in my journey. I was a non-traditional student who returned to pursue my undergraduate in 2009 at the University of New Mexico-Gallup branch campus. After I completed my AA-Assoc. of Business Administration, I transferred to the main campus in Albuquerque, NM in 2013. There I completed my BS in Athletic Training in May of 2018 with a minor in Business Administration. <br> <br> <br> <br> During my undergraduate journey, I managed to work a full-time job, have my two boys who are now 9 and 15 years old, and take care of my family of four. It was certainly difficult trying to juggle being "Mom, Wife, Student AT" all at the same time and commuting weekly back and forth to home, but I knew ever since I was about six or seven years old Athletic Training was what I wanted to do, although at the time I had no idea the profession existed<br> <br> <br> <br> Alyssa's background and schooling<br> <br> <br> <br> My last two years of high school introduced me to my first Athletic Trainer (JD Burgess). A late tour senior year to Fort Lewis College introduced me to Athletic Training/Sports Medicine as a major so I immediately applied and began my education at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. I graduated in 2007 and was able to pursue my Masters at A.T. Still University in Mesa, AZ. I graduated in 2009 and went back to Durango to work at the Head AT at Durango High School as a part of Mercy Regional Medical Center. I stayed there until 2015 when my husband and I took a year off to travel and move back to Hopi. After that I set up an AT program at the local high school. There have been a lot of road blocks<br> <br> <br> <br> Marisha's Life as a Native American<br> <br> <br> <br> Marisha Little, LAT, ATC currently works as the graduate assistant to the University of West Florida Athletic Training Program and as a PRN athletic trainer in the Sports Medicine Outreach department of Andrews Institute. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of West Florida and is currently working on her Master of Science in Health Promotion. She is the recipient of the Bobby Gunn Award from the Southeast Athletic Training Association, the Legacy Scholarship of the Athletic Trainers Association of Florida, and the Memorial Scholarship of the Southeast Athletic Training Association. Marisha served on the National Athletic Trainers Association Student Leadership Committee from 2018-2019 and currently serves on the Public Relations and Marketing Committee of the Athletic Trainers Association of Florida.<br> <br> <br> <br> A little about Wyatt<br> <br> <br> <br> Wyatt's first exposure to AT was in undergrad as a potential PT student. Changed paths when he was applying for PT school.<br> <br> <br> <br> Masters of public health from GWU<br> <br> <br> <br> He left the tribe to get the experience off the reservation to be able to get more perspective.<br> <br> <br> <br> Currently back on the reservation as a wellness program specialist for Native Americans.<br> <br> <br> <br> Jasmine's Story:<br> <br> <br> <br> Descendent of trail of tears<br> <br> <br> <br> I come from a long line of strong, resilient, compassionate, indigenous women, so it was only natural that I want to help others. When I was in high school, at Culver City High School, we had a sports medicine program and I was introduced to the field. I went on to get my AA in Kinesiology at El Camino College and then graduated in 2016 from Azusa Pacific University with my BA in Athletic Training.
