During the hot, humid Friday nights at Delmar Stadium, there is somebody whose eyes watch the football team attentively in case of injury. She takes note of who looks more tired than usual, keeps an eye out for who is more prone to getting hurt, and hopes the players stay safe as she tapes their legs beforehand: “If you don’t do this on the daily don’t start doing it out of nowhere. You’re going to be more prone to an injury.”  

Senior Alexandra “Alex” Maldonado takes her role as a football trainer seriously, preparing herself mentally to face the inevitable impairments that come from the incredibly physical sport of football. As the only veteran with four plus years of experience, Maldonado takes pride in her skillset, hoping that what she does can inspire care that she once did not have. “As an athlete who got injured and didn’t have much help for whenever I got my injury, it’s nice to be the first to respond to player injuries and see them work their way up afterwards,” says Maldonado. After messing up her shoulder in her freshman year from softball by throwing too much, she noted how she wished that she had the support that she provides for others now. “It was kind of a ‘figure it out on your own’ situation,” says Maldonado. “All I really knew at the time was to just take Ibuprofen and ice it.” 

From there, she expressed interest in becoming a football manager to Coach Lindsey, who told her that they only employed trainers. At first, she was the only one handling all three teams and has now become someone that the other seven trainers look up to. “I’m usually the only one that is willing to deal with everybody,” says Maldonado. “When it comes to freshmen, I’m the first one to work with them.”  

She forms relationships with the players that tremendously help ease the situation when one receives an injury, stating that “the trust factor comes with the job.” “Martin, who is the most prone to getting injured right now, sticks with me as I’m always the one to tend to him,” says Maldonado. “I’ve even formed a close bond with his parents because of how often he gets injured.” 

Alongside the strong connections, Maldonado uses her extensive experience to know how to properly react. “I was always taught that no matter how bad the injury is, ‘don’t make a face, don’t react’ because if not you’re going to freak that person out,” says Maldonado. She recalls her first major impairment when somebody broke their arm during her sophomore year being “such a surreal moment”. “I knew what to do in that situation, but at the same time I didn’t,” says Maldonado. “I just have faith in God that He will help me figure out and have a quick reaction to the injuries, no matter how bad they are.” 

Now, as a seasoned senior, she views her role as a trainer as necessary and avoids carrying guilt when things go wrong. “It’s the cycle and we have no control over how they get injured,” says Maldonado. “Whenever I’m out on the field, it doesn’t click in my head that I’m being watched. What goes through my head is honestly trying to make sure that the players are okay, and that they don’t doubt in themselves.” 

As her last season as a trainer ends, Maldonado reflects on how she has grown into her role, and what has kept her on the field every single game. “The fact that I get to be there when they get injured, when they doubt themselves, and I’m the one to cheer them up and give them hope and faith is what keeps me here,” says Maldonado. “You must be the one to make it work no matter what.”