A certified athletic trainer is a unique health care provider who specializes in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. Athletic training is practiced by athletic trainers, health care professionals, who collaborate with physicians to optimize activity and participation of patients and clients. 

Athletic training encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and intervention of emergency, acute, and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations, and disabilities.

Athletic trainers can be found in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, professional athletics and private industry. Athletic trainer's clients and patients can come from any walk of life not just recreational, amateur or professional athletics including those who have suffered musculoskeletal injuries or those individuals seeking strength, conditioning, fitness and performance enhancement.

Friendswood ISD is extremely fortunate to have three certified athletic trainers that provide athletic training services to all athletes at both the high school and junior high as well as oversee the Sports Medicine Program at Friendswood High School which involves about 30 high school students.

Megan Duncan is the Head Athletic Trainer for FISD and has been part of the FISD program since 1997. After receiving a Master’s Degree in Sports Science, Duncan was employed by St. John Hospital in Nassau Bay, Texas as the first ever, contract assistant athletic trainer to Friendswood High School. She spent five years in that position and was then offered the Head Athletic Trainer position at FHS. Since that time, she has earned two specializations from the National Academy of Sports Medicine -- Corrective Exercise Specialist and Performance Enhancement Specialist. She is a Certified Athletic Trainer with the NATA and a Licensed Athletic Trainer in the State of Texas. Duncan is also an American Heart First Aid, CPR and AED instructor.

The second athletic trainer is Jonathan Utsey. He graduated in December of 2003 with a Bachelor of Science Majoring in Exercise and Sport Science with a specialization in Athletic Training and a Minor in Spanish. Utsey is a Nationally Certified and State Licensed Athletic Trainer.  He spent a year as the Assistant Athletic Trainer at Howard Payne before he saw a job open closer to home and family.  He is currently in his fourth year working for Christus St. John Hospital.  While employed by the hospital, he is contracted to work at Friendswood High School, and has been doing so for the past 3 years.  Other than FHS athletic training, he has been busy planning his June wedding.

Cody Wade is the newest addition to FISD and is the assistant athletic trainer. He joined Friendswood High School this past year. Wade is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association, and is licensed by the state of Texas.  Wade has worked with many different sports at the collegiate level along with the local high school in Macomb, Illinois.  He also did a semester-long internship at Westfield High School of Spring ISD last spring. Wade’s philosophy is to keep his athletes healthy so that they can perform to the best of their ability.