In-Depth Look: Head Athletic Trainer for Minor League Professional Ice Hockey
Cody Lindhorst, ATC is the Head Athletic Trainer (AT) for the Kalamazoo Wings Hockey Club, East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The ECHL is a premier minor hockey league that has affiliations with 27 of the 32 National Hockey League (NHL) Hockey Clubs.
How long have you been practicing as an AT?
I became certified in 2014. I was the Head AT with the Rapid City Rush in the ECHL for seven seasons before my wife and I moved to Michigan. I was an outreach AT through a local physical therapy clinic for a year before joining Bronson Sports Medicine and the Kalamazoo Wings. During my time in Kalamazoo, I have been on the ECHL Athletic Training Committee and am the current president of the ECHL Athletic Training Committee.
Describe your setting:
Practice days begin around 7:30 a.m. at the arena with updating coaches on player status, setting up for practice and doing treatments before practice at 10 a.m. After practice, there are treatments, reports to be sent out to coaching staff/management/physicians, laundry and clean up. If there are any appointments for players, I do my best to attend those. Generally, I can leave the arena around 3 p.m. on a practice day.
Game days are much the same except we have a brief morning skate at 10 a.m., then its treatments, get reports out and clean up/set up for the game that evening. Generally, I can leave for my break around 1 p.m. on game days. I like to be back at the arena no later than 3 p.m. to make sure everything is ready to go for the game. Post-game is more treatments as needed, paperwork/reports to coaches/management/physicians and clean up/laundry. On a typical game night, we are able to leave around 10:30 p.m. to midnight depending on how busy we were. Then it’s back at 7:30 a.m. the next morning to repeat the process.
What do you like about your position? What motivates you?
I like the team aspect that comes with working in minor pro sports. You have the team that is on the ice competing, but you also have the team behind the team, coaching staff, AT, equipment manager, broadcaster etc. I also enjoy the front row seat of every game our team plays. The motivation comes from being able to help guide the young players and teach them what it really means to be a “pro.” If they get the opportunity to move up the ranks, they are better prepared for how things work, and teams operate.
What is your greatest achievement as an Athletic Trainer?
Being a member of the ECHL’s Athletic Training Committee through the COVID-19 pandemic when only half our league had teams play was stressful but looking back on it was very rewarding. Being a part of the group that brought a sense of normalcy to a very chaotic time for the public was very humbling to look back on.
What advice do you have about your practice setting for a young AT looking at this setting?
Network, network, network! Professional Sports are a small tight-knit group of people and word travels fast. Do not be afraid to reach out to a team and inquire about an internship opportunity.
