Introduction & Connection:

For this assignment, I chose to connect with a certified athletic trainer whom I previously worked under as a student assistant athletic trainer last school year. Although my time in the role was brief due to academic demands and Army commitments, the experience had a meaningful impact on me. It reinforced my interest in sports performance, injury prevention, and athlete care—areas I continue to value both professionally and personally.

To initiate contact, I reached out via email in a respectful and professional manner. Because we had previously worked together, I reintroduced myself and briefly reminded them of my role. I explained that I am currently enrolled in a sports media course that requires ongoing communication with a sports industry professional whose career path aligns with my interests. I clearly outlined the expectations of the assignment, emphasizing that communication would consist primarily of occasional questions about their career journey, recruitment process, and professional insights throughout the semester.

In my message, I made sure to acknowledge their time as valuable and expressed that I would be respectful of their schedule. My goal was to be polite and appreciative, while also being clear and confident about what I was requesting. Maintaining professionalism and clarity was important to me because I understand that networking in the sports industry requires both respect and initiative.

Bio of my Penpal:

My penpal is a certified athletic trainer working in ODU’s competitive sports environment (Football specifically). Their responsibilities include injury prevention, evaluation, and treatment of the athletes’ injuries, rehabilitation programming, and collaboration with coaches and medical professionals to ensure athlete safety and performance. Athletic trainers play a vital role in bridging sports performance and healthcare, often serving as the first line of response for athletic injuries.

Infographic/ Narrative:

As I had mentioned before, I used to work for this professional. I have yet to hear back from anyone, and I have not heard back from this connection either. I figured, for me to be able to move forward with this assignment, I would write about these specific connections, since I had worked with him before.  

The next task in the instructions says, “ include a short narrative (within the blog) of how the sport industry contact was recruited for this assignment.” Of course, it was great working for this professional, but I never got the chance to have this conversation. Therefore, I do not have the response to this question, but I am sure he found it after getting his degree, and there was a position open!

Justin Walker

Associate Athletic Trainer/Head Football Athletic Trainer (Football)

(757) 683-4255

Jcwalker@odu.edu