High school students excel in sports medicine contest

In the next decade, who’s destined to take care of Tiger Woods’ bad case of golfer’s elbow? Don’t be surprised if it’s an Issaquah graduate. Our high school students excelled in the state’s annual sports medicine competition on April 28 and 29.

Teams of students from Issaquah, Liberty, and Skyline high schools earned top honors at the 2006 Washington Vocational Sports Medicine Association Competition and Symposium in Bremerton. Vying against more than 50 teams from all over the state and nation, Issaquah High placed fifth overall and Skyline was close behind, placing seventh. Liberty was 21st overall. More than 550 individual competitors were no match for local students, either: Issaquah High’s Ryan Houser won 10th overall in the varsity test competition, and teammates Kristen Elliott, Lauren Leale, and Dani Turrin placed in the top 30. Skyline’s Russell Calcote came in third in the tape-off contest, accurately taping an ankle in the least amount of time; and teammate Laura Julich placed third overall in the junior-varsity test competition.

The District’s sports medicine programs give students the opportunity to explore a variety of healthcare careers, learn fundamental medical terminology and practices, and get real-world practice helping student athletes in their school’s athletic training room. Issaquah teams have consistently placed in the top 10 at the state competition for four straight years—a huge accomplishment, considering no sports medicine program in the district is even a decade old.

Todd Parsons, Larry Brown, and Cheryl Reed head the Issaquah High, Liberty, and Skyline programs, respectively.