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Gametime for Matthew Talley Means Rehab, Injury Care—and Even Paying Attention to the Weather
Matthew Talley’s work as an athletic trainer is a little different than some of his colleagues at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. He juggles the schedules of young athletes at Norfolk Collegiate School, coordinating their care with parents, coaches and school administration while prepping for the rush of patients who need to be treated for injuries before the clock starts.
“There’s only about an hour-long window to complete most pre-practice or pregame treatments for patients,” Talley explains. “There’s a lot to accomplish in that time, including rehabilitation, injury care, return-to-play protocols, wrapping/taping and clearance activities. We need to be prepped and ready for everything to happen quickly and efficiently.”
The secondary school setting can be quite different from other clinical settings because of the lack of a typical appointment structure. That flexibility is one of the things Talley says he loves about the job.
Talley prepares for game time by making sure first aid kits are fully stocked, the AED (automated external defibrillator) is ready to go, and splints are available. He also monitors weather reports and emergency actions plans—just in case. All of this is followed with post-activity treatments and administrative follow up before readying the clinic to do it all the next day.
“I love my days because of the many different settings,” he says. “I get to have really fun interactions with my patients.”
Talley’s been an athletic trainer for more than a decade. He was born in Miami and moved to New Hampshire with his family as a teenager, where he attended school and met his wife, Danielle. Danielle and Matthew now live in Norfolk with their dog, Macklemore, and enjoy traveling. He also enjoys practicing yoga and being in the outdoors, especially fishing.
Gametime for Matthew Talley Means Rehab, Injury Care—and Even Paying Attention to the Weather
Matthew Talley’s work as an athletic trainer is a little different than some of his colleagues at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. He juggles the schedules of young athletes at Norfolk Collegiate School, coordinating their care with parents, coaches and school administration while prepping for the rush of patients who need to be treated for injuries before the clock starts.
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