Meet Our New Athletic Trainer, Mr. Josiah Douglas!

The Acronym had the chance to speak with IMSA’s new Athletic Trainer, Mr. Josiah Douglas, to learn more about his background as well as future ambitions for IMSA athletics. 

IMSA’s athletics program, coordinated by Mr. Chris Moment, strives to offer its students opportunities to engage in competitive, interscholastic athletics in various sports organized by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The institution is currently a participating member of the IHSA for sports and the Little Ten Conference for most sports and co-curricular activities. 

At the start of the 2023-24 academic year, IMSA welcomed Mr. Douglas as the new athletic trainer. To gain insight and share it with the IMSA community, The Acronym sat down with him to discuss long-term goals and visions for the athletic program. But first, let’s learn a bit more about Mr. Douglas and his background. 

Douglas studied at Aurora University while also interning at Wheaton College. There, he was engaged in both sports and academics at a high level. He also served as the head athletic trainer at Judson University for five and a half years before transitioning to IMSA.

Douglas explains that he values consistency in interactions among the students to build a strong bond of trust and communication. He mentions how students are more open and willing to talk with someone who they know well. Douglas hopes to form a strong, personalized connection with each student he meets to better assist them in the future.  

Specific to IMSA, Douglas recognizes that students often have a challenging time balancing course workloads and sports. Therefore, he wants to help students to the best of his ability, incorporating some of his past experience balancing the workload during his college days as advice for students: “As the new trainer, I seek to provide the students with the highest level of care. I want to open up many avenues that prove to be a beneficial resource for the students. In conversations, I also look to promote the realm of sports medicine and physical wellness. These topics are sometimes undermined and I want to re-emphasize them through my interactions with students.” Douglas summarizes, “Most importantly, making a positive impact on the lives of students is my focus.” Therefore, students shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Mr. Douglas if they need any resources or guidance in the athletics field. 

IMSA is thrilled to have Mr. Douglas this year, and he is excited to be a part of the IMSA community too! Describing the IMSA atmosphere and environment, he stated, “I have really been enjoying my first few weeks here, interacting with lively students. I hope to meet and interact with many more students in the near future.”