April 19, 2018
By Alyssa Palfey, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Assistant Athletic Trainer Michael Gay has been with the Penn State track and field team for just about five years, and to him, his job is more than just treating injuries, but actually getting to know the athletes and teaching them life lessons.
"One of the biggest things is how this stuff applies to life. How fighting through and getting through tough times, something that doesn't go well, how you can sort that out, take inventory of what's going on and move forward and do better," Gay said. "Each one of us has this ability inside, and it's something that each of these kids needs to take with them and apply later."
Although his job is to treat injuries and help athletes get better, he says that the most rewarding part is watching these athletes compete.
"The most rewarding part of the job is watching kids compete, work hard. It's PRs, it's kids that come from tough spots at the beginning of the year and progress then do something special at the end of the year," Gay said. "I just like the little stuff like that. Kids going to compete and PR and they're excited, they've done something they've never do before in their lives. It's really cool to watch it and celebrate with them."
Junior Maddie Holmberg is just one of the athletes that has been working alongside Gay for some time due to injuries. She says that Gay never settles and continues to look for new ways to treat injuries.
"Mike's really big about communication. A lot of it is that he doesn't have a cookie cutter protocol, which I think is a great thing," Holmberg said. "A lot of it is based on how we're feeling, how we're reacting to different rehabs, and he's never pushed us to do anything we're not comfortable with, but he can tell by the performances we're doing in the rehab when we're ready to get back to 100%."
Although battling through injuries is tough, Holmberg has had Gay's help to push through the tough times to become an All-American in the pentathalon this past indoor season.
"She fought through a lot of stuff. She's such a tough kid, the multis are tough people. They grind through five events in the winter and seven events in outdoor. Just to keep your body in shape and the effort, focus and determination it takes to get through one full day of competition and for each of those events to go well," Gay said. "Maddie is a special kid because she just fights a lot of little things here and there that have repeated and got in her way. She had an unfortunate injury at the end of her year last year that sort of set her back, but she refocused and has really put stuff together and is looking great this year."
"During the multi, Mike's always paying attention between events and giving me and my different injuries the attention that they need during the heptathlon. Being able to have him there is great. I always know when the 800 is over because I always see Mike at the finish line, and he's typically always there to either pick me up or give me water or anything else that I need," Holmberg added.
More than just treating injuries, Gay hopes that every athlete that seeks treatment is also learning lessons that can be applied throughout the rest of their lives.
"You always have to come at them with the positive, you come at them with talking about the process, you come at them talking about how on the other side of bad things there are good things. That's not only just a sports thing. That's something they'll need to carry with them for life when tragedy happens or something tough happens. They got to persevere. Take each day as it comes and try to get a better spot and that's what we try to mock here," Gay said. "My hope is that the stuff that they get here, they can go on and use when they are husbands, wives, workers or leaders in the community afterwards."
Holmberg says that Gay isn't just interested in their injuries, but also with forming relationships with the athletes. She knows that he cares about more than just the injury.
"Mike is super invested that's something that I don't think anyone can deny. He not only is invested in our health, but more so our well-being. He knows the sport really well, so he's sympathetic in that aspect in knowing that any minor injury can drastically affect our performances," Holmberg said.
Through the relationships that Holmberg and Gay have formed throughout the past few years, it is obvious that Gay sees great potential in Holmberg as the season continues.
"She'll be a record-holder and All-American. The sky's the limit for her. She's got great potential, and she's going to be one of the best multis we've ever had here at Penn State," Gay said.