Editor’s note: This story is the tenth in a weekly series profiling “Hidden Stars” across campus. A “Hidden Star” is someone who doesn’t normally get recognized but who excels in club sports, intramurals or other recreational activities. The series will run on every Tuesday throughout the semester. If you’d like to nominate someone to be featured as a “Hidden Star,” e-mail that person’s name, phone number, e-mail address and a brief paragraph about why he or she should be recognized to [email protected].

Without the continuous effort of 46 student athletic trainers, Iowa State’s athletic programs would suffer tremendously, the athletic training program director said.

“The athletes wouldn’t have the care they do if it weren’t for the student trainers,” said Mary Meier, athletic training program director. “They are always there, and they do a great job.”

The student athletic trainers commit a great deal of their time to the program.

“We are there before the athletes are, and we stay after they leave,” student athletic trainer Kara Pasker said.

“The students dedicate anywhere from 10 to 50 hours per week to various athletic programs,” Meier said. “It’s closer to 45 hours though.”

During these long hours, the trainers are responsible for a variety of important duties, including preparing the athletes for practice, attending all practices and games, maintaining the training rooms, traveling with the team and ultimately enabling the athletes to keep practicing or getting them back to the point where they can participate.

“Because of these essential obligations, the trainers are well respected by the players and the coaches,” student athletic trainer Iris Castillo said.

“The athletes are great,” Pasker said. “They understand the time commitment we put in and appreciate us for it.”

Student trainers also have outstanding working relationships with the coaches.

However, the student trainers must prove to the coaches that they are serious about the program and care about the teams, Pasker said.

“The coaches support every decision we make,” Castillo said. “They trust us to get the athletes back in a condition where they can participate.”

Student trainers are accountable for a number of things, and every once in a while they are awarded for what they do.

“The greatest advantage of being a student trainer is when people recognize me as an accomplished trainer,” Castillo said. “The real hands-on training is also great.”

The student trainers are also recognized at a banquet for their grade-point average, which happens to be a cumulative 3.3. Awards are also given out for other things, such as the most outstanding athletic trainer award.

Some student trainers also receive scholarships, depending on the degree of their devotion to the program.

Five head certified athletic trainers direct the students. There is one head women’s trainer, one head men’s trainer, two assistant trainers and one athletic training program director.

“They let us do our thing, but they are always there to guide us,” student athletic trainer Kandy Faber said.

The student athletic trainers are in the program because they want to be and not because they have to, Castillo said.

“Not just anyone can be an athletic trainer,” Castillo said. ‘It’s almost like a calling.”

“All of the student athletic trainers are very hard workers and have excellent time management skills,” Meier said.

“Their responsibilities to the coaches and athletes are overwhelming, but they all handle it very well.”