School is about to start again and you may feel a little like this cat looks! Absolutely ready to pull your hair out!! You haven't been sleeping as much, your hours are crazy, and you are contemplating moving into the athletic training room permanently. I wanted to take a minute to remind everyone why we are here doing what we do. It is not because of a pay check because we all know that we do not get paid enough to do what we do. We are here because the kids need us to be here. At the beginning of the month The Dallas Morning News had a four day series on concussions in sports. If you have not read it please take the time to do so. To summarize the series points out that the athletic trainers judgment should not be ignored. When an athletic trainer says an athlete should sit out then that decision should be respected and upheld. Another point that was made was that if you cannot afford to employ an athletic trainer then you cannot afford football. I couldn't agree more with both! The athletes need us as athletic trainers to step up and protect them when others may not. Our job is so much more than dealing with the paperwork, going to meetings, and teaching classes. Our main goal and purpose is to protect and help student athletes. So, as you dread going back to school just remember that the kids need athletic trainers!!