With the increase of students participating in sports and the number of injuries on the rise (mainly concussions), the public needs to understand better what athletic trainers do.

On Aug. 14, 2009, Cary High School had a player collapse at the Wakefield football scrimmage. Two other athletic trainers, a doctor and I saved the player's life on the field with the use of an AED. I see this player every now and then, and he is doing fine and set to graduate this spring from Cary High School, though he has been disqualified from football. I do not know how this situation would have turned out if an athletic trainer were not present.

Eric C. Hall

Athletic trainer, Cary High School

Cary