(Abarw.com/Allison Weirich Photo) LHHS trainers (l-r) Christine Wolesensky, Cody Barcuch and Dana Reiley are among the many LHHS student-trainers who give of their time to help the LHHS athletic program. Call them the "Sultans of the Sidelines."

by Chuck Licata 

They’re the Sultans of the Sidelines.

But their work extends to so many other areas – and more events – than just under the “Friday Night Lights.”

They’re the Student Trainers; these young students of Liberty Hill High School give of their free and spare time to help LHHS head trainers Charles “Doc” Harrington and Sarah Baulch handle all the behind-the-scene duties in the locker rooms and trainer’s room.

Three student trainers in particular – junior Cody Barcuch and sophomores Christine Wolesensky and Dana Reiley – took time out of their busy schedules to talk about their duties.

Or, more impressively, their passion.

“I like being a student trainer a lot,” exclaimed Reiley, who is in her first year as a student trainer and who is supported by her parents (Cathy and Ron) and sister (Jennifer, 17, an LHHS senior). “I’m learning a lot doing this. I’m learning how to treat people with injuries and how to file injury reports.

“The paperwork is interesting too; I help try to make sure everything gets filed so that those reports don’t get lost. We know how important each and every report is to (the big picture).”

Wolesensky, who’s in her second year as a student-trainer, was interested when she head about the duties tied to a student trainer. “Oh yes, I wanted to do it,” she stated. “Once I heard the duties I knew this was something I’d want to do.”

That’s because, Wolesensky revealed, she had been in the trainer’s room as a student-athlete herself.

“I had a knee injury in seventh grade,” she explained. “then I re-injured it three different times. I ended up having surgery three different times.

“I can’t play sports but I can do some running,” continued Wolesensky, who is supported by her parents (Tyree and Bob) and two brothers (Bobby and Corey). “Eventually I hope to play some tennis. But going through what I did being injured, I found sports training and sports medicine very interesting. Being a student trainer really helps me learn that side of athletics.”

Barcuch, the “elder statesman” of the three trainers, himself came to be trainer from “personal” experience.

“I hurt my knee when I was in eighth grade,” recalled Barcuch, who’s supported by his Terri Moore and his sister Emily (15). “When I came in I talked to Miss B (Sarah Baulch) and she explained to me about sports injuries. As she talked about treating injuries and the recovery process, I found myself very interested.

“I became a trainer my freshman year and liked it a lot. It’s great to get experience helping people in need and athletes with injuries.”

Let it be said, all three are already talking to LHHS and Liberty Hill Junior High students about their work as student trainers, ‘drumming up’ interest among the younger kids in the field.

Needless to say, all three – who had a strong determination and passion in their face as they talked about their experiences – plan to take their training to the next level.

When it comes to Barcuch (who’s responsible for helping treat cuts and bruises and general medical health at LHHS), he’s even looking to take it to new “heights.”

“I want to go into the Air Force and be involved in Air Rescue,” Barcuch proclaimed. “My grandparents (Dan and Doris Denning) live across from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. That will be very hard-core training which is what I like.”

Wolesensky, who works taping ankles and taping “in general” during the school week then holds down locker room duties on Game Night, sees a future in this field as well.

“I’d like to go to a medical school and get a degree in biology and medical training,” she said. “Because it was a knee injury that ‘got me started’ in this field, I’m interested in working with knee injuries – maybe becoming an orthopedic surgeon.”

Reiley isn’t so focused on any particular area.

“I want to get into sports training in general,” she revealed. “I don’t know what particular job or field I’d want to work Right now, I’m just enjoying the experience and I enjoy learning.”

Which is what high school is for, right?