This week’s edition of 5 Questions is brought to you by Leslie Jackson, an Athletic Trainer and Program Manager with Justin Sports Medicine. She is an amazing woman who has never let a challenge get in the way of chasing her dream.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have opportunities to work in sports medicine with both semi-professional ice hockey and professional rodeo. I was fortunate to begin a series of internships when I was 15 years old. My interest in sports medicine was sparked after I was cut from the high school basketball team. I was pretty upset and sad. I realized that I wasn’t good enough to be an elite athlete, but while watching an ice hockey game with my family I mentioned that I could be the guy helping the injured athlete. As luck would have it, my family knew the assistant coach of the hockey team and mentioned it to him. I was fortunate enough that he helped get me in touch with the coach and the rest is history. I haven’t looked back since.
Throughout that time, I’ve had lots of “dawning” moments. One of my favorite moments was in 2013 when I was selected to work my first National Finals Rodeo (the super bowl of professional rodeo). To say I was excited and nervous would be an understatement! However, the first time I walked into the arena at the Thomas & Mack Center was both breathtaking and affirming. I was not only achieving a lifetime goal and I knew I was where I was supposed to be.”
Who encouraged and motivated you?
I’m very lucky that I’ve always had lots of support from both my family and friends. My parents have always been at the forefront of that support. I kind of surprised them when I was 15 and announced I was going to work with the local hockey team. They were skeptical that the team would let a high school girl in the training room but they supported me. My mom actually drove me to the first interview I ever had with the Coach. I dressed in a business suit which was way too old for me but I was determined and a nervous wreck. I think I must have eaten an entire box of Altoids. After about a half hour, I practically skipped back to the truck and proudly announced that the Coach had agreed to give me an opportunity. They were very surprised but at the same time were my biggest cheerleaders and supporters.
About four years later, during my freshman year of college, I was fortunate enough to connect with one of my longtime mentors, Pam Cox, who I am now fortunate enough to call a friend. Pam was an Associate for Justin Sports Medicine and was seeking volunteers from the University of New Mexico’s Athletic Training program. I was lucky enough to get to work with the rodeo for one performance. Some of the upper-classmen had backed out of working and I saw from our rodeo seats she was working with a short staff. I happily went down to the training room and volunteered my time. It was both an honor and a pleasure to do so. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I wanted to work rodeo.
For many years, my family had been both involved with different elements of the rodeo and season ticket holders to the New Mexico State Fair. I recall watching rodeos as a younger girl and seeing Pam doing her job. While many girls in the stands wanted to be the rodeo queen or barrel racer, I wanted her job! I was lucky that I got to work with Pam and she welcomed me with open arms. Over the course of the next few years, I was welcomed into the Justin Sports Medicine program by other talented mentors: Rick Foster, Mike Rich, Doug Olle, and Tom Fagan, just to name a few. Without the continued support of both my family and these mentors, I would not be where I am today.
I also have to thank all of the athletes and coaches who allowed me to work with them. One of my “ah ha” moments came the first year I was a Head Athletic Trainer with a professional hockey team in Corpus Christi, Texas. It was also the first time I was away from my family (as I had attended college in my hometown) However, I was lucky enough to know about two of the players on the new team and the General Manager (who was also a former player) so I wasn’t completely alone. I was a ball of nerves and determined to hit the ground running and prove that I belonged there. All of the players had a two part physical and I had sent a mass email to the team. I noticed shortly after that I had sent the wrong information so I needed to resend it. One of the players sent me a text message telling me to get my act together. I was instantly worried that I’d already really screwed up on my first day!
Later that evening, we had a team BBQ. That same player came up and told me that one of his buddies had already called him to tell him to keep an eye out for me. The player who gave me a hard time was Chris Mei, who actually ended up becoming one of my best friends and allies in the world of hockey. Chris made me feel welcomed and supported me through the many lessons I learned working my first year as Head Athletic Trainer. Without all of the support of everyone I’ve mentioned my dream would defiantly not be a reality.
What was an obstacle that you are proud of overcoming?
I was pretty lucky that I didn’t have too many setbacks or roadblocks on the path to my dream, but that didn’t mean it was easy street either. Perhaps, one of the most motivating moments in my life that frustrated me was when my sophomore English teacher told me that sports were a waste of my time and would never do anything for me in life. It boggles my mind that a teacher would ever tell a student that and it really made me mad at that time. Looking back however, maybe it motivated me more than I realized.
Some of the semi-professional hockey teams I worked with went out of business or moved locations. There were two years when I was working with junior hockey (athletes 16-21 trying to get into professional hockey or college scholarships) that our Equipment Managers quit because they had their own personal issues with the organization and coaches. It would have been very easy for me to let the team struggle without an Equipment Manager. Instead, I took on the job of both Athletic Trainer and Equipment Manager. I had some great support from my assistant. I was inspired to show our young athletes that quitting when something isn’t going your way is not an option.
Another roadblock I faced was not having full time work with rodeo because there was no hockey. During that time, I became a long term substitute teacher for high school. I was very fortunate that the principal and school staff were very supportive to allow me to work with both the students and take off to go work rodeos and chase my dream when opportunities presented themselves. While teaching, I’ve gotten to meet some amazing teachers and students who have given me both support and fuel to continue following my dream.
When did you realize that you were on the right path?
I’ve been fortunate to have the chance to help a lot of younger students and Athletic Trainers coming up in their careers. I really enjoy helping the younger people in this profession because so much has changed since I was in school. Hearing an athlete or their family thank me for supporting them and helping them during an injury or illness confirms that I’m doing what I should be doing.
Throughout my career, I have reached higher levels. Going from volunteer to associate to program manager was a huge step for me. It was amazing when I was asked to work the NFR, but even more so when I was asked to travel to work rodeos. One moment that made me feel like I had “arrived” was when a multi time World Champion Rodeo athlete who holds many records called me by name in the training room. It was a simple gesture but, to someone who was a fairly new Program Manager working their first NFR, it was like winning the lottery. My job in general is one of my largest positive side effects of my life, I’m a firm believer if you love what you do, it isn’t work. I have one of the most amazing and rewarding jobs in the world and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Where do you find inspiration and ideas?
I find inspiration lots of places. One of my favorites is in every day in conversations with my athletes. Knowing that the appreciate the care they receive from me and seeing the relief in their face helps me want to continue to provide the best medical care that I can.
I really enjoy reading and often read inspirational stories. I think one of the best books I’ve read that I constantly refer to and reread is “Winning Everyday” By Lou Holtz. While it might sound corny, I also remember Michael Cooper’s 5 D’s that I learned as a young girl at his basketball camp. Every day at camp, he would discuss the importance of these words with the hundreds of campers in attendance. When you are young and at a camp you don’t realize the impact that these 5 simple words can have, but I truly value these words in my life to this day and often refer to them when making decisions. The 5 D’s are: determination, dedication, desire, discipline, and decision-making. His words of wisdom that he gave his campers have lasted a lifetime and helped me reach many goals.
I’ve been very fortunate and blessed to have some of the most amazing family and friends supporting me throughout my dream. From paramedics and medical care professionals to teachers and everything in between, their positivity inspires me to be the best I can be.
Why did you pursue this course?
Working sports medicine was always a dream for me. I think it was natural because I wanted to help others and really didn’t want to work at the family business. It’s funny how when a child grows up in a business, they tend to see how hard their family works and it motivates them to work to find a career in a different field. That was definitely a factor in my career choice. I literally grew up in my family’s sporting goods store; my whole family worked there. While I got to see and learn firsthand the amount of blood, sweat and tears that went into the business, I knew it wasn’t for me.
There was a time in high school when I knew I wanted to go into medicine but was torn between becoming a veterinarian or marine biologist and working with animals or going in to sports medicine and working with athletes. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend a few high school programs at Sea World San Antonio. They were experiences and memories that will last a lifetime but, I quickly learned I didn’t really like the smell of fish at five o’clock in the morning or working with co-workers that couldn’t respond to you with words. It made my choice easy and I focused on sports medicine. Currently, I’m right where I want to be. I love to travel and meet new people. I get do both working rodeos and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Anything else?
I think one of the greatest things to remember when trying to reach your dreams and dawning moments is truly to throw caution out the window. It’s scary to chase these moments, but don’t let fear keep you from it. You need to step outside of your comfort zone to reach your full potential. You will come across people who don’t think you can achieve your goal, who want to bring you down or just generally are not positive people…prove them wrong. More than anything don’t ever lose sight of your target. With hard work and dedication while paying your dues, you can truly accomplish anything you set your mind to. I always like to remind myself when I’m frustrated or having a bad day that if it was easy, everyone would do it. I like to think that I’m living proof of that.
