Sports

Sports medicine student discusses condition of sports facilities

Wilborn has worked in the sports medicine program for four years. Courtesy photo

Senior Tania Wilborn a part of the Grambling State sports medicine team on campus.

Wilborn is from Chicago, Ill. and came to Grambling because she wanted to have the HBCU experience that she heard from so many other positive experiences.

Not only does the school have a great HBCU experience, but the sports medicine program at Grambling is very good.

She said her time at Grambling has been amazing while being on the team here, from the athletes, staff and even her co-workers. 

“All the girls I work with are pretty cool and I have gotten close to some of them” Wilborn said.

Wilborn has been a part of the staff since her freshman year.

Wilborn is focused on what improvements are needed in the facilities and what she feels like the campus should do to accommodate all GSU sports.

Wilborn brings a lot of passion to her job and is working to help all students on campus. She believes many improvements can be made.

Wilborn said she feels the training facilities that are being used currently to aid athletes back to health are outdated.

“As a student trainer, I personally feel that the training facilities are not that bad; however, it is definitely time for it to be upgraded and revamped. For Grambling to be so big on athletics our training facilities should reflect that,” she said.

Grambling is big on sports not only locally but has also historically received national attention.

“If I could change anything right now I’d definitely change the training room,” she said. “The training room is not a lounge area nor is it a place where athletes should want to be, but it doesn’t have to look so depressing either and as stated before it needs a major upgrade.”

Wilborn said the football team is the most funded team out of all sports, but for the school to be successful all sports need to be healthy and ready to compete.

She stressed that the sports medicine program is understaffed and it’s hard for them to accommodate all sports as well as they should.

“In order to accommodate all sports, we need more certified ATs and/or AT graduate assistants. All sports cannot be accommodated as they would necessarily want to be because we don’t have enough staff,” Wilborn said.

Wilborn said she is unsure of any movement to update athletics facilties.

“Honestly I don’t think the conditions will ever change. Back in the day, Grambling had a TV show on BET called “The Year of the Tiger” and it focused on the band & football.” she said. “The training room had several appearances in this series and the way it looks on that show is how it looks today 15+ years later.”

Still, Wilborn said she will continue to do her job to the fullest despite facility conditions, good or bad.