PBATS is excited to announce a new series called Get Personal with PBATS.
As part of this series, both Major and Minor League Baseball athletic trainers will be sharing both personal and professional information about themselves, in order to help younger athletic trainers understand the life of a professional baseball athletic trainer, the variety of roads traveled within this profession, recommendations across a wide variety of topics, as well as some information about how these pros worked their way into professional baseball.
Our fourth installment of the Q&A is brought to you by Chris McDonald. Chris is the assistant athletic trainer for the Detroit Tigers and the 2019 winner of the Minor League Athletic Trainer of the Year Award.
Let’s get into it!
1. Favorite moment as a baseball athletic trainer?
Answer: Helping a team win the Caribbean World Series for the Dominican Republic.
2. Favorite aspect about athletic training in general?
Answer: Starting with an injury and working with the athlete to get full return to play.
3. Advice for young athletic trainers trying to get in baseball?
Answer: You should strive to get experience through internship programs with Minor League Baseball teams.
4. Hobby outside of work?
Answer: Exercising.
5. Favorite Quote?
Answer: “Expectations lead to disappointment” – Sparky Anderson
6. What’s a book you’d recommend?
Answer: The Art of War – Sun Tzu
7. How many years have you been an Athletic Trainer?
Answer: 20 years
8. What is your personal motto to live by?
Answer: Always give your best.
9. What was your favorite Athletic Training Class when you were in school?
Answer: Upper extremity evaluation.
10. Favorite city to travel to?
Answer: Portland, ME
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A huge thanks to Chris McDonald for contributing this information to the series. And please check back next week for another edition of the Get Personal with PBATS series.