Going bananas for the summer
First-year athletic training students from Georgia Southern University’s Department of Clinical Sciences played a vital role in supporting youth athletes from across the nation during the 2025 Banana Ball Tournament this summer. More than 750 athletes, ages 9 to 12, participated in the weeklong event in Savannah.
Students provided first aid coverage at multiple tournament venues, assisting with everything from heat-related illnesses and minor injuries to weather-related evacuations. Their hands-on involvement came after seven weeks of preparation, during which students developed detailed emergency action plans (EAPs) tailored to each tournament site as part of their summer coursework.
“We spent the majority of our summer semester creating an emergency action plan for the parks and the players to ensure the safety of everyone at such a large event,” said Savannah Markt, an athletic training master’s student. “It was such a unique and rewarding experience to provide a service for my community. I love what Banana Ball stands for and was honored to be a part of it.”
In addition to providing medical coverage, students received specialized training on emergency response scenarios, including heat illness and lightning delay protocols. The students credit their classroom and lab experiences, especially their emergency care course, for helping them feel prepared.
“Our coursework and classroom preparation contributed significantly to our success,” said Tyler Hunter, also an athletic training master’s student. “We reviewed injury scenarios, practiced emergency care techniques and even learned how to communicate effectively with families during weather delays.”
Throughout the week, the students also developed valuable soft skills, particularly communication, collaboration and adaptability. Weather delays, field changes and navigating the needs of young athletes and their families presented real-world challenges.
“The biggest challenge we faced was working with younger athletes and their parents,” noted Ryleigh Mann, a fellow athletic training master’s student. “With athletes being from all over the country, the weather affected them differently. We overcame this by being over-prepared for all weather scenarios that could occur.”
For many, the event left a lasting impact on their professional development and sense of purpose in the athletic training field.
“This experience gave me a glimpse of what being an athletic trainer feels like and strengthened my desire to become one,” said Markt. “Creating a good experience for these young athletes meant everything to me.”
The event also gave students early insight into the demands and rewards of the profession.
“It illuminated the extended duration of an athletic trainer’s day and the physical demands they face,” Hunter reflected. “Most importantly, it instilled in me the confidence to excel as the most competent athletic trainer I can be.”
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