Retention of Athletic Trainers in the Secondary School Setting

Abstract

Research has explored factors related to retention of athletic trainers in collegiate settings but less is known about retention of athletic trainers in secondary school settings. This study aimed to investigate factors that increase retention of secondary school athletic trainers. Twenty-two secondary school athletic trainers (10 females and 12 males, length of employment 14.65 ± 5.01 years) participated in a semistructured video call interview with seven open-ended questions. A phenomenological approach revealed three themes and eight subthemes: (a) support (administration, partner athletic trainer, and non-work-related); (b) connections (impact on patients, school community, and wider community); and (c) security (financial and nonfinancial). Although participants acknowledged challenges, they identified aspects that positively influenced their retention.