New trainer a familiar face

Milton’s new athletic trainer began his career with Geisinger Medical Center in 1997.

According to Mr. Matt Gelbaugh, he was the first Geisinger athletic trainer hired to do strictly athletic training in schools and spent eight years working at Danville High School. He added that he helped start athletic training programs at other high schools in the area.

Most recently he was the senior athletic trainer at Geisinger Woodbine Fitness Center for seven years, where he dealt with “normal people who were there to get fitness” advice compared to a more “athletic population” that he is now working with at Milton, said Mr. Gelbaugh.

He added that at Milton, he is doing more medical rehabilitation, diagnoses and treatment of injuries.

While he was helping to set up schools’ athletic training programs, he worked at Milton for a few months, according to Mr. Gelbaugh. His supervisor notified him that Milton’s previous athletic trainer took a job in another state, and he said he decided to come back to Milton this summer.

“It is kind of like riding a bike. Once I got here, I started picking up old habits that I had been doing before, and it just felt natural,” he said.

According to Mr. Gelbaugh, when an athlete first comes into the training room, he observes how they walk in, takes a history of past injuries, talks with them and does a few diagnostic tests on the injured part.

He added that from there, he often has athletes do stretching exercises and/or strength training at home or in the weight room, as well as doing daily check-ins with him to monitor the condition.

If needed, Mr. Gelbaugh said he contacts physicians and parents if further scans, treatments or surgeries are necessary.

Using Health Roster, a computer-based system, he said he keeps records of all athletes that come into his room, or at least those that he pulls out of practice or has sent for further evaluation and treatment.

He said he believes he is good at rehabilitation of athletes, including making sure they are doing what they need to do to get better. Mr. Gelbaugh added he is good at treating every injury as potentially serious and every athlete as fairly as possible.

Athletic Director Mr. Rod Harris said that Mr. Gelbaugh is a great trainer for Milton.

“He is trustworthy and cares about our student athletes. He is always there for our students,” added Mr. Harris.

According to Mr. Gelbaugh, he can improve on writing reports in a timely manner and organizing.

“I really enjoy being here at Milton. I’ve really liked all the people I’ve met–all the teams, all the coaches, all the athletes. I think it’s great being here,” he said.