From the age of 10, Abigail Fort knew she wanted to be a trainer and now she is the school’s new athletic trainer. Wingspan sat down with her to find out more about who she is and  why she came to campus.

Wingspan: What made you want to come on campus?

Fort: “So I was applying for jobs that were open everywhere in the area. I lived in Mansfield at the time, and when I realized I had the opportunity to move to Frisco knowing the reputation the city has, I was like if the city is good then the schools have to be good, and obviously that was true because I am here now. I was ready to move into a full time position, whereas with Arlington I was only part time.”  

Wingspan: Did you always know that you wanted to be a trainer or did you want to be something else when you were younger ?

Fort: ”I have always wanted to be an athletic trainer. I have wanted to be an athletic trainer since I was 10 years old, because my godparents were athletic trainers so I have known about the profession for a very long time, and the second that I put two and two together of what I do for a living to be an athletic trainer I decided to do it.”

Wingspan: What was your first experience as an athletic trainer?

Fort: “As a student I was a student athletic trainer in high school, so my first experience was my Freshman year of high school with the football team at my school.”

Wingspan:What was your favorite part of doing that in high school?

Fort: “So I think for me personally, it was a good way to make friends because I was moving into a new school area and so it was a good way to make friends in all grade ranges , and I was like I am friends with a Senior as a Freshman but then once I finally got to work and stuff and get into the routine, I was like this is what I want to do with my life.’’

Wingspan: Do you enjoy teaching the kids that you have that are student trainers?

Fort: “Yes I love my students, I especially like teaching my student Kaitlyn because Kaitlyn asks really good questions, but I have always loved teaching students, but I feel like I pour a little more into students that are like want to be an athletic trainer because I am like omg you are just like me, but even in general equipping students with basic thing like wound care or how to take care of their body if there an athlete, is just the best thing.”

Wingspan: What do you think the most important part of being a trainer is?

Fort: “Communication, because we talk with so many different people and at so many different times so it’s important that like me and coach Deal are on the same page, and like I’m on the same page as the student athletes, and the student athletes are on the same page as the coach so I would say that is the most important part and patients because things change thing go different not everything is going to go as you planned it so having patients to change to or adapt to those changes is crucial and they don’t teach that in school.”