While many people play sports, their health is much more important. Bret Haffer, the athletic trainer at Liberty, makes sure that every student is in perfect condition to succeed in their sport.
This is Haffer’s third year at Liberty and this is his main job. He works for the school through the company Athletico and they contract him here for all of the events. On Tuesday mornings, he works as an orthopedic doctor for Athletico.
Luca Rizzo (10) recently dislocated his kneecap at a football game at Warrenton. Haffer has helped him throughout him playing football, basketball, and baseball.
“He looks out for us, gives us water at games and practice, and he impacts the whole team,” Rizzo said.
Throughout the years Haffer has grown relationships with the students. During Haffer’s first year at LHS, Tristen Murphy (11) was a freshman, doing wrestling.
“We’re like best friends,” Murphy said.
“Bret is always looking out for everybody and every time I get injured, he’s always making sure I have the right care,” Madilyn Headley (10) said.
Hafer loves seeing the athletes grow in their sports and watching them at home games.
“My favorite thing about this job is helping the kids that seek out the help and work hard, and then seeing them get back to their sport and perform at a high level,” Haffer said.
The only thing he doesn’t like about this job is all the paperwork he has to do when students get injured. Haffer has to do this paperwork though, for legal matters and to inform medical professionals.
When Haffer was in high school, he played baseball on his high school team and in college. Many athletic trainers and physical therapists helped him through his injuries which made him desire this job.
“I really just wanted to stay around the atmosphere of the young athletes and to help the athletes how I was helped when I was younger,” Haffer said.
As an athletic trainer, Haffer sees every injury that happens. Many scary things can happen such as dislocated elbows and broken bones. Haffer stays calm during these moments and in his mind, his training takes over to react the best way he can.
Haffer has helped the students with being the healthiest they can be.
