The Value of Mentorship–A Conversation with Head Athletic Trainer Casey Maxwell

Casey Maxwell hopes to make a difference with the next generation of athletes and trainers as Head Athletic Trainer at George School.

“What stands out to me is the authenticity of these students. They’re still young and learning who they are, but they’re very comfortable being able to speak in an open way,” Casey shares. “I think at George School the community and mindset we foster definitely encourages that.”

Casey found her passion for athletic training at an early age. In high school, in addition to playing on the water polo team, she took a sports medicine course taught by her athletic trainer that sparked her passion for the field. Casey recalls, “I knew the sciences were my strength and I wanted to help people, so it lined up perfectly for me in that way.”

Coming to George School from Princeton University in 2022, Casey brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. During her time there, Casey was a member of the Athletic Medicine Team that provided medical care for 1,100 student-athletes on thirty-nine athletic teams. While she enjoyed working with athletes at the collegiate level, she felt she could make a greater difference with a younger population of athletes. When colleague and long-time George School nurse Chris Mitchell introduced her to the George School community, she happily took the leap to the high school level.

She began her athletic training education at Northeastern University. While taking classes, she engaged in multiple co-op programs across the country including working with the football team at De La Salle High School in California, a hospital for special surgery in New York City, and the athletics program at Harvard University.

While working at Harvard, she developed close relationships with her colleagues and mentors who encouraged her to continue her education at Louisiana State University (LSU). She completed her Master’s in Kinesiology at LSU while serving as an aide to the track and field and volleyball teams.

The majority of Casey’s work is one-on-one, working with students who visit the Athletic Training Suite in the Fitness and Athletics Center (FAC) with injuries of varied severity. When a student arrives, she will walk them through a circuit of stability, strengthening, and mobility exercises. Once their pain becomes more manageable over time, the student is gradually introduced back to their sport with continued monitoring.

While an important part of her job is treating injuries, one of Casey’s main goals is to focus on prevention. Since starting at George School last year, she has begun implementing injury prevention programming. Last winter, Casey met with the girls’ basketball team to teach drills and injury prevention techniques, which were recorded and uploaded to an online portal for reference throughout the season. Casey also introduced the US Lacrosse Prevention Program to the girls’ lacrosse team. She hopes to expand this programming to other sports teams in the future.

“It’s refreshing to build these authentic relationships with students and help encourage them to find who they are,” Casey reflects.

Casey’s work at George School goes beyond athletic training and treatment. She wants her office to be a safe space where students can be themselves. “I’m happy to be a sounding board for them when they need it,” Casey explains. “It helps me stay connected to the students so that they know I’m a person they can trust.”

Students interested in exploring athletic training have the opportunity to get involved. Casey welcomes both George School students, as well as local college students working towards their certification, to work as aides in the office. She is happy to give back the same mentorship she received in her early career.

“It’s really nice,” says Casey. “I still look back at my high school athletics trainer and know she is the reason I am where I am now.”

Students can visit Casey in the Athletic Training Suite in the FAC or make an appointment by emailing cmaxwell@georgeschool.org. Scheduling appointments in advance helps to ensure shorter wait times.