Above left is the 2010-11 BHS Training staff, led by Whitehouse native, Jeff ‘Doc’ Shrode (in ceeter). Before coming to Bullard from Jacksonville, Shrode had built a trainers program that grew to as many as 13 trainers on staff. Shrode has also led to many scholarships for his trainers that goes the extra step that Doc is accustomed to doing in his program. Above right, D.J. Buckley won the tape-wrapping competition held at the SFA Training Seminar held this past Saturday. The BHS team also won the other batle, ‘The fanny-packing packers’ event. As the teams enter they each leave a fanny-pack that is to be as organized, and with all the essentials for treating injuries The BHS team had six members that contribbuted to a team score for the final award. NACOGDOCHES – Doc Shrode is at it again.

Before coming to the Panthers from Jacksonville, Shrode had built a trainers program through athletics that has seen students go on to school (some on scholarships) and continued to get their own degree and now have full-time jobs at schools all around East Texas as trainers.

SUSIE MOORE BULLARD BANNER NEWS This past Saturday, in what has become an annual seminar for the past 15 years, athletic trainers are hosted by East Texas Athletic Trainers Association. After seminars in Marshall and most recently Tyler Junior College, Stephen F. Austin wanted to host the event for the first time this year.

There were ten schools from classification like Robert E. Lee, John Tyler and Marshall, right on down to Mineola Bullard and some other smaller schools as well..

“It’s just a workshop that the Association puts on just to give us a little education, a little get together networking, and some skill type competitions going on,” said Shrode of the SFA event. “At this particular seminar we had four different sessions where they talked about things such as rehab, using the X-Box connect which a new training program to help rehab while playing the interactive sports, and the kids thought that was pretty cool.”

So cool in fact that Brennon Gurley and D.J. Buckley are going to put their efforts into getting the X-Box connect going in the Bullard field house.

“They are going to come with a fundraiser to come up with the money to buy the equipment and then we will have one to use for our rehab athletes,” Shrode added, “and it’s a fun way to work your way back in a controlled environment.”

Another addition to the seminar was the Arthrex which is a medical company of which brought their truck down and they had cadaver parts to really get the feel of things.

“They brought legs, shoulders, and they would let the kid’s come in and let them watch going through a surgery like the scoping of a knee, reconstruction of a shoulder, and they let the kid’s put gloves on and hold the different parts of which I have a great picture of some of the kid’s holding a leg,” Shrode said. “Brennon (Gurley) and D.J. (Buckley) jumped right in there and picked a leg up and played with how the muscles worked.

“It put it in perspective for the kid’s,” Shrode continued, “you know it’s a little different when it comes down to actually handling body parts. We had a few of the younger one’s had a little sour stomach,” the Whitehouse native Shrode said laughing.

But we had two competitions and one was ankle wrapping. It was not only based on speed but how well you did your wrap and out of all those participants, freshman, D.J. (Buckley) won the whole thing.

Earlier in the day as you arrived you had to have a medical fanny-pack, arranged just right with a check list of the essentials to be carried in the fanny packs during games.

“All our trainers had to turn one in, and you left it with some officials at the very beginning, “Shrode said, “and they really make sure it’s packed and organized correctly, and then they grade you by the team.

“We took six trainers down there to compete, and we ended up winning that competition too, so it was a pretty cool day, and fun to see the kid’s get excited about what they are doing.”

About the day of fun with other trainers and the team competition, Gurley was excited over the lessons learned and the overall fun of working with other trainers.

“The seminar itself was great and very informative,” the senior of the group said. “We really got pumped up for the ankle wrap contest, and we were cheering each other on like we were playing in a game.

“The people at SFA were great and it really was fun to meet other trainers from all different classifications,” said Govenor Gurley in conclusion.

Cheyenne Holcombe. Brennon “Govenor’ Gurley, D.J. Buckley, Samantha Miller, Erin Clements, Lindsey Rogers, and McKenzie Brown made up the victorious group of wrappers from B-Town.

Congratulations to the trainers and keep up the good work Doc. From three to six trainers in one year, and with cadavers to offer no telling how many next year.