By Greg Gielczyk
LocalSportsJournal.com

SHELBY–Jon Romkema has a busy schedule that keeps him on the road quite a bit. He also tries to frequent his office at Trinity Health.

Romkema oversees athletic trainers at 19 schools in five counties, Muskegon Community College and Grand Valley State. He is the manager of the program at Trinity Health, but due to staff shortages, he’s also filling in at Shelby High School as the athletic trainer.

“Basically, the gist of my job is to lead them (the athletic trainers) and support them in everything they need,” Romkema said. “My job entails anything and everything, and also to work as a go-between the hospital and the schools. I work with all the athletic directors, and have a good working relationship with them, a lot of the superintendents, a lot of principals and hospital administrators.”

Romkema is in his 35th year as an athletic trainer, and at some point in time, has spent time at Muskegon Heights, North Muskegon, Muskegon High School, Fruitport, Shelby, Holton and Spring Lake as well as Muskegon Community College.

He’s familiar with the inner workings of most, if not all of them, which certainly has to be a major asset in his role as a program manager.

“What I always tell people is that athletic trainers are either one of two people,” Romkema said. “Either an athlete whose athletic career ended, but they love sports, or a person like me who was not a good athlete, but loves sports.

“When I was in high school I realized right away that I was not going to be successful as an athlete and I started hanging out with my athletic trainer and I thought ‘hey, this is pretty cool. I can do this.’

“That’s kind of how it went.”

Shelby athletic trainer Jon Romkema (Photo/Leo Valdez)

Romkema attended Grand Rapids West Catholic, graduating in 1982, and then went to Grand Valley State University, where he got his diploma in 1987.

Being the program manager at Trinity Health, and working as the athletic trainer at Shelby, presents an interesting challenge for Romkema.

“Sometimes I’m never there (Trinity),” he said. “Some days I’m there longer. It depends on what is going on. I’ve been at Shelby all of last year and then this year, so I spend a lot time driving between Muskegon and Shelby.

“I’ve covered every athletic event Shelby’s had the last 2 years. If there isn’t anything going on at Shelby, I might go to another school and support or help that athletic trainer.”

Obviously, an athletic trainer’s schedule, no matter the season, can fluctuate because of the weather, and that understandably affects their hours.

Things slow down in the summer, and the athletic trainers have more time to be with their families, or “have a life” as Romkema says.

“It’s definitely not a boring 9-to-5 job whatsoever,” Romkema said. “People that want a boring 9-to-5 job, I tell them ‘Don’t even think about this.’

“For me, probably the most rewarding thing is being able to support athletes when they’re hurt,” Romkema said. “If an athlete gets hurt in the game, or a practice, especially if they are 14 or 15 years old, it can be a life altering event … or they think it is. To be able to support them, provide care for them, get them on the right channel or whatever they need for their injury, and eventually see them recover and get back to their sport is extremely gratifying and rewarding.”

Athletic trainers are the primary provider for athletes in the field. Part of their responsibilities are as a case manager, directing them to the proper specialist. They also create a treatment and rehabilitation plan, working with and communicating with coaches, administrators and parents to help them decide what’s best for the athlete.

“Our base goal is providing and helping create a safe environment for the athlete,” said Romkema. “Our No. 1 priority is the safety of the athlete. Everything we do is geared toward that. ‘What can we do to make this safer for the athlete?'”

Romkema, 59, has not set any timetable for when he might hang it up.

“I don’t know the answer,” Romkema said. “It’s the old adage that ‘you’ll know when you know.’ I kind of go on that right now. I’m kind of just saying let’s see how it goes. Year by year, month by month, day to day.

“At some point, I’m going to know that ‘hey, it’s time to go.'”

Right now, that time isn’t even visible on the horizon for Romkema.