When students think of Iowa State football and its recent victories, the players and the coaches might come to mind, not the group of dedicated students who try to keep the players injury-free.

The Student Training Staff is composed of a select group of exercise and sport science majors concentrating on athletic training. This group is responsible for making sure members of the football team, as well as other ISU athletic teams and nearby high school teams, are in top shape to play their best.

“We basically do treatments on athletes who have been injured in a game,” said Jason Hannum, senior in exercise and sport science.

Hannum said student trainers have many responsibilities.

“We are in the training room once a week from 6:30 to 9 a.m. and from 9 to 10 p.m., and we are at every football practice,” he said.

The trainers perform medical assistant such as taping the athletes before practices and games to help them avoid injuries, said Lindsay Granner, head student trainer and senior in exercise and sport science.

“The athletes are under our supervision from day one,” Granner said.

She said students in the athletic training program are required to be student trainers, but there also is an application process.

“Most students must go through 200 hours of observation and an interview process,” Granner said.

In their first year, student trainers must work for the football department, and the next year they can work under the head trainer for any sport, Hannum said.

“In your third year of athletic training, you are the head trainer,” Hannum said.

Although participating in the student trainer program requires the students to put in a lot of hours, Hannum said he believes it is completely worth the time and effort.

“The 115 football players are a great group of guys,” Hannum said. “They make it all worth it.”

Hannum said head football coach Dan McCarney also appreciates the student trainers’ work.

“We help his team win,” he said.