Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Sports Medicine team took part in the 24th annual California Regional High School Sports Medicine Competition and Seminar, organized by the American Academic Competition Institute (AACI) at St. Francis High School (SFHS) on Mar. 15. The team achieved 2nd place in the competition. Their Anatomage team has qualified for the National competition in May.
The California Regional High School Sports Medicine Competition provides teams with a qualifying opportunity for the AACI National Championships and the Anatomage National Championships. To participate, students must be enrolled in, have completed, or be actively involved in a sports medicine course at their high school.
This year’s topic of focus was the lower leg, and the competition consisted of two parts: a written exam and a practical exam. In the written exam, students had to answer 150 questions, each worth three points. The written exam included multiple-choice, true or false, and matching questions. Topics covered anatomy, taping procedures, and rehabilitation. Additionally, questions regarding CPR were included based on current American Red Cross or Heart Association guidelines.
“For me, the competition was pretty stressful, especially leading up to the written exam. We already knew how ambiguous the questions could be, so it was challenging to prepare. Afterward, it felt almost surreal that everything we had worked for over the past few weeks was already done, but it was also a relief at the same time,” said senior Catherine Pei, a member of Team A of the Anatomage competition.
For the practical exam, students answered five oral questions on topics such as first aid, palpating anatomical landmarks, range of motion (ROM), and taping procedures. Each question was worth 20 points, for a total of 100 points possible.
AHS competed against 678 students from nearby states. Overall, AHS placed 3rd in the Medium Schools Division, 2nd in the Anatomage Anatomy Challenge, and 2nd in the Individual High School Athletic Training Student of the Year category.
“In the days leading up to the competition, our team dedicated countless hours to reviewing emergency scenarios and perfecting our taping procedures,” said senior Anas Yousuf. “We had weekly quizzes that helped improve our understanding of each topic and strengthened our ability to think quickly under pressure. Ultimately, we were able to secure 3rd place in our division for states.”
The Anatomage team will compete in the Nationals at the University of Las Vegas from May 30 to 31.
Photos Courtesy of AUSD DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS INTERN ALAINA LEE
