Trainer authors textbook

    Have you ever opened a textbook and recognized the people in the pictures? Several students in the introductory athletic training classes this semester are able to do just that. Paul Higgs, the head athletic trainer for GCSU, has co-authored his first textbook, “Perspectives in Athletic Training.”
    “Many GCSU students, both athletes and athletic training interns, are in the textbook,” Higgs said in a press release. “I am glad to be involved in my profession in this way and to hopefully pass along the skills and passion I have to students and others interested in the profession of athletic training.”
    Nancy Cummings, senior author of the textbook, contacted Higgs about contributing a chapter. Higgs ended up writing several chapters in the textbook, after which he was asked to become a co-author.
    “My friend is the head author,” Higgs said. “She asked me to write a chapter on injuries and the anatomy of the injuries. Then to oversee the other anatomy chapters, and then I came onboard as the third author.”
    The other author is Sue Stanley-Green: both Cummings and Stanley-Green work at Florida Southern.
    Co-authoring a textbook includes writing chapters, rewriting chapters, finding artwork and finding references. Many professionals contribute to the writing; however, the authors have to oversee everything, Higgs said.
    The textbook provides information on the care, provision and treatment of athletes. The word “perspectives” in the title means learning from someone in this field and what to do, Higgs said.
    Higgs used several pictures of past and present students as examples of injuries that could arise, and how to properly provide care in certain situations. Whenever an injury occurred at a GCSU athletic event, Higgs would take a picture and document the recovery process.
    The entire procedure of writing and publishing the textbook took five years. Higgs has been a part of the project for the last three.
    Al Weston, the sports information director, is proud and supportive of Higgs’ work.
    “I was extremely happy for Paul,” Weston said. “He’s been working on this text for quite some time, and I know it’s a relief for him to have it completed. It speaks well to the quality of work being done in the athletic department when we can give back academically.”
    The textbook became available for use this past January. Higgs is anticipating the adoption of the textbook for other colleges this coming fall.
    The textbook is a tool in other ways, too, Weston suggested.
    “It helps from a recruitment standpoint for the athletic training programs here,” Weston said. “If incoming students know they will get to work with a published author on the subject, they’re apt to value their education more.”
    Another textbook may be in the future. If this one is successful, the authors might consider updating the textbook or writing another one, Higgs said.
    “It was hard work, but I was glad I did it,” Higgs said. “It gives a little recognition towards GCSU and that we have an athletic training major.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 22 2008. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry