Hospital withdraws all athletic trainers
Murphy – Education and political leaders are scrambling following news that Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva will no longer provide athletic trainers for school sports in Cherokee and Clay counties, effective June 30.
It is unclear why the hospital is discontinuing the service, which was provided at no cost to the counties. During the board of commissioners meeting earlier in May, officials said that Harris Regional withdrew support in Cherokee and Clay counties because injured athletes were seeking treatment at hospitals other than Harris Regional.
Harris Regional gave notice of its decision on May 4.
N.C. Athletic Association rules require athletic trainers be present at certain events, including football. Without athletic trainers, there will be no football season, county and school officials said.
While emergency medical technicians and nurses can provide some level of treatment to injured players, athletic trainers receive specialized training to prevent further or long-term injuries as well as recuperative physical therapy.
School board member Jeff Tatham approached the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners earlier in May asking the county to give the school district permission to tap into schools-dedicated sales tax revenue to pay for athletic trainers.
But Shannon Raper, chairman of the school board who was also at the board of commissioners meeting, said the board needed to wait until the school board had a chance to discuss the issue and come back with a formal request.
The board of commissioners agreed to delay any action. Though time is of the essence, there was still time for both boards to act before Harris Regional stops funding the two athletic trainer positions.
At last week’s school board meeting, the board voted 5-1 to request funding for two athletic trainers who would be county employees. Roper voted against the motion, saying that the positions would be an ongoing cost and would benefit just Murphy and Andrews high schools, leaving Hiwassee Dam and Tri-County Early College high schools out of the mix.
“I want to see all high schools receive some type of service,” she said.
The school board is asking the county to authorize $153,551.50 from schools-focused quarter-cent sales tax revenues.
That’s about what it would cost to pay the existing trainers, although if they are interested in the job, they will have to apply.
The school board was expected to present its request to the board of commissioners at its budget workshop meeting Tuesday night, after the Cherokee Scout’s press deadline.