Falcons, Northside Team Up to Open Athletic Training Facility at Washington

Thanks to the Atlanta Falcons and Northside Hospital, our Athletic Department scored another great win on Tuesday with the official opening of the new APS Athletic Training Facility at Booker T. Washington High School.

Trainer Kaysha Hughley and football player Justin Hines present Rich McKay of the Falcons with a school team jersey and a football signed by the Washington Bulldogs football team.

This facility features state-of-the-art equipment and supplies for training and pre- and post-workout routines. Located at Washington, the facility is available to all student athletes throughout the district.

On Tuesday, we welcomed Atlanta Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay (such a cool dude) and representatives from Northside Hospital (also cool) as they toured the facility. I was thrilled to see all of the top-notch equipment that will now be available to our student athletes to keep them up on the latest training and recovery practices.

At the opening: (L-R) Board Member Byron Amos; Steve Hudson of Northside Hospital; Atlanta Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay; trainer Kaysha Hughley; football player Justin Hines; me; Board Member Eshé Collins; Jasper E. Jewell, APS athletic director; and Washington Principal Tasharah Wilson.

And I have to really thank Jasper E. Jewell, our director of athletics, and Rodney Hackney, athletic director for Washington High, for making this happen. Back in December 2014, they worked with the Falcons, the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and Northside Hospital to secure a NFL Foundation Certified Athletic Trainer Grant.

This initiative comes from a collaboration between National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), the NFL and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers’ Society that was announced by President Obama in May 2014 during the White House Healthy Kids and Concussion Summit. As a result of the partnership, the NFL Foundation and NFL teams agreed to provide $1 million, and NATA agreed to contribute $125,000 to place athletic training facilities in underserved high schools in NFL markets.

Our team won, and the grant will provide support to Washington High and all of our student athletes through 2017. Congrats and thanks to all involved!

Washington High’s James Wilson test the waters of the new whirlpool inside the new APS Athletic Training Facility! Aaaah, that looks relaxing!

If I ever get any injuries practicing with our football teams (click here,here, here and here!) or preparing for the East Atlanta Village run, then I am definitely going to get in that hot tub and get a massage!