As the multitude of injuries from the AHS fall sports season are healing up, winter sports bring on a whole new set of challenges for AHS student athletes.  Luckily, Celty Fitterer, AHS’s athletic trainer and sports medicine specialist, is in house to assist, rehabilitate, and heal ailing winter sport athletes.

As AHS students head into winter break with more time for skiing, sledding, skating, snowball fighting and other shenanigans that might lead to injury, Fitterer has a few recommendations for how to prevent injury. As an experienced sports medicine specialist, Fitterer’s goal is to help student athletes practice the way that they play and constantly work on their technique. If this isn’t an option – as in the case of snowball fighting – there are things you can think about on a daily basis to stay healthy.

“As part of daily maintenance, weight training and stretching are also ways to prevent injury,” Fitterer said.

“It is important to not let injuries worsen over time by recognizing when you are injured, and taking yourself out of the game,” Fitterer said. “I urge athletes to be self aware and take care of injuries right away.”

“The most common injuries for basketball players are related to ankles and knees,“ Fitterer said. “In hockey, I see a lot of shoulder issues and, of course, concussions are very common for hockey players and skiers.”

The winter sports season is well underway. Before school lets out for holiday break, be sure to consult Fitterer if you have an injury or any questions regarding training and physical therapy.

Originally a Parker, Colorado, native, Fitterer’s interest in sports medicine began at a very early age.

“I decided I wanted to be an athletic trainer when I was a junior in high school,” Fitterer said.

Sticking to her decision to pursue a career in sports medicine, Fitterer eventually went on to receive her Master’s degree in athletic training from San Jose State University in 2012.  After college, Fitterer took her “dream job” — the position of head athletic trainer for Johnson and Wales University in Denver. Following her career in Denver, Fitterer decided to move out to Aspen last year to get married and assume her current position at AHS.

Now in her second year as AHS’s athletic trainer, Fitterer, who is contracted out by Aspen Orthopaedics to work at AHS, has her hands full with numerous student athletes constantly getting injured throughout each sport season.

“I’ve had a little bit of everything,” Fitterer said.  “I deal with everything from cases of Osgood-Schlatter disease in knees, to Sever’s Disease in heels, to shoulder injuries.”

Senior Connor Pierce recounts how Fitterer helped him after he fractured his ribs earlier this fall in a varsity soccer match versus CRMS.

“When I had rib fractures earlier this year, Celty was very helpful in making sure that I was very careful to not to reinjure myself,” said three-sport varsity athlete Connor Pierce. “I am very grateful for her help.”

While injuries such as Pierce’s occur quite often in the fall season, winter sports, such as hockey, basketball and skiing, usher in a whole new lineup of potential tears, sprains and fractures.

Fitterer encourages all students with questions about injuries or even general aches and pains to drop by her office, which is located in between the boys’ and girls’ athletic locker rooms next to the Big Gym.res.

AHS students feel quite fortunate to have a dedicated athletic trainer on staff  helping student athletes stay strong and fit.  Luckily,  trainer Fitterer finds great satisfaction with her job.

“I really enjoy being around the student body.  I feel happy knowing that I can make a positive difference for student athletes,” Fitterer said.  “I hope that by teaching student-athletes how to stay healthy throughout sports seasons, I am also teaching them to be healthier people.”