A volleyball player sits on a table with her leg outstretched. Her knee has been an issue and she comes to the athletic training office to get checked before practice.  That is where you will find Neumann University alum Palmer Trolli.

Trolli graduated in May 2014, majoring in athletic training with a minor in strength and conditioning.  After graduation, the road still had one last hurdle.  “It was scary. I graduated in May and I still had to take my certification exam in June. I then took the exam and waited. Started applying for jobs back in April and I wasn’t certified yet so no one was calling me back.”  Trolli found out he passed in July and then the interview calls came.

Christopher Dock Mennonite High School made the call for Trolli to interview.  Christopher Dock is a 9-12 private high school in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. “This [job] fell into my lap and I couldn’t be happier with it.” As the head athletic trainer, Trolli deals with every sport the school offers, both varsity and junior varsity. He evaluates and diagnoses injuries, treats them and assists the student athletes in preventative measures. “At Docks, the students here are education first so I can sit them down and teach them what is wrong with them. In my office I have pictures and all my textbooks here. I love pulling them out and showing the students what is going on.  Showing them what muscles does what and why they are limited in their motion with their injury.”

Trolli credits his time in the classroom at Neumann University and the external clinical work required in the athletic training program for the skills and knowledge he uses now in his career. “Everything I learned for my career we had in class. I learned about the injuries, the rehab forms and the modalities on how to treat them. What really helped was the work out in clinicals. I had to do six internships so I was fortunate enough to get the hands-on experience as a sophomore. That’s where I felt I did most of my learning. I was able to work on the athletes. I was able to practice what I was learning in class. It was a very smooth transition in [my current job.] I worked at 3 different high schools, a college, down in Disney World and for the Philadelphia Flyers while a student at Neumann. All of the people I saw had one commonality. They were all athletes. They all wanted to be out on that field.”

At the end of the day, Trolli’s reward goes beyond just a simple job-well-done. “My biggest highlight was the reaction from the parents. You see an athlete go down on the field and they are distraught. You get them back on the field and the first person to thank you is a parent. I have already gotten numerous calls and e-mails from parents thanking me and it’s uplifting. No matter what happens, hearing the appreciation and thanks for the job I’m doing makes it all worth it.”