WolfPack Athletics took a crucial step towards building a more efficient program by hiring Mike Van Veghel as the department’s first full-time athletic trainer. While it was the first time the department offered that position, Van Veghel is no stranger to Madison College, serving the college as an athletic trainer since 2004.
Van Veghel spent the previous 22 years working with the WolfPack through a service contract with UW Health.
Athletic Director Jason Verhelst campaigned for funding and construction of this role. “Mike is incredibly knowledgeable. He’s been a leader in his field,” said Verhelst, who added Van Veghel is president of the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers Association. “He’s well respected in the field. He is a true professional and he continues to teach himself and learn more every single year.”
At UW Health, he was often in the clinic, attending events, and frequently coming into the school, but then having to leave for other UW Health commitments.
Having Van Veghel available throughout the day improves the student-athletes’ access to him, which was at times difficult before.
The addition of a full-time athletic trainer impacts the overall performance and well-being of the student-athletes because an athletic trainer’s job is not only about assisting injured student-athletes.
One responsibility is to guide athletes on what they can and cannot do in practice and the weight room, helping them strengthen themselves and proactively avoid further injuries. Due to previous time constraints, Van Veghel was unable to focus on preventing injuries. For example, he can now focus on bolstering areas such as shoulders and knees, helping them improve their performance while minimizing the risk of injury.
“I’m part of that team that’s here to help improve the experience for the student athletes. Sports are dangerous sometimes,” said Van Veghel, who’s been an athletic trainer for 30 years. “Injuries are bound to happen. My goal is to make sure that we can get them back into not only their sport but their ability to get around to their classes.”
In addition to addressing existing injuries or preventing them, Van Veghel can now focus on other responsibilities, which include assisting students in accessing the healthcare system. By coordinating services like MRIs and surgeries, procedures or treatments that Madison College may not provide, he facilitates student-athletes’ care. He manages aspects such as insurance billing, which many students may not fully understand. He appreciates the extra time, which allows him to catch up on his paperwork.
“I feel 1,000 times more productive in the morning because I have administrative time built in where I can actually dedicate towards the administrative aspects of my job, whether it’s medical records or insurance filing,” Van Veghel said.
However, the primary responsibility is event coverage, as the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) mandates that an athletic trainer be present at every sporting event. Covering an event means not only treating WolfPack athletes but also the members of the visiting team.
It’s more than just treating injured players — it is the need to be present before and after the game. Before the event, Van Veghel is responsible for pre-event treatments, such as soft tissue work or joint taping.
However, there are many misconceptions about being an athletic trainer. The role is not all about handing out water ice and tape. The role is often described as a “cool job” simply because it involves being around sports.
“One of the things that is most misunderstood about our job is that people say, ‘You get to watch sports all the time.’ Yes, I do, but it’s kind of like a lifeguard who hangs out at a pool. They’re not hanging out at the beach all day long. They’re training their eye to watch things differently.”
He adds that he’s watching how athletes are moving and interacting. How the athletes start and stop, jump and land, is critical to injury evaluation and what he specifically observed at the time of the injury.
“So you’re always having your head up on a swivel and you learn to train your eye to watch what’s going on out of the field a little bit differently,” Van Veghel said.
The presence, consistency and understanding that Van Veghel provides are fully appreciated by Verhelst. “He’s a guy that I would trust my own kids to be able to be assessed and figure out what’s wrong,” Verhelst said.