LIFE SAVING ATHLETIC TRAINERS

Every year in Colorado, certified athletic trainers (ATC) are directly involved in life-saving incidents where the timely use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) makes the difference between life and death. Our members are frequently placed in high-stakes situations where immediate access to an AED is not just important—it is critical.

The Colorado Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA) strongly supports the SB 25-19, sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts (D-8), Senator Iman Jodeh (D-29), Representative Meghan Lukens (D-26), and Representative Lindsay Gilchrist (D-8), which aims to improve AED access in schools. We believe AEDs should be treated as essential infrastructure for any high school that sponsors athletic programs. Just like hiring a certified athletic trainer or implementing emergency action plans, having AEDs on-site—maintained, accessible, and ready to use—is fundamental to protecting student-athletes in moments of crisis.

By supporting this bill, CATA continues its mission to advocate for the health and safety of high school athletes across the state. It also reinforces the role of certified athletic trainers as critical healthcare providers who stand on the front lines of sports medicine and emergency preparedness.

We urge lawmakers and community members to recognize the life-saving potential of this legislation and the lasting positive impact it will have on Colorado’s student-athletes, their families, and the broader athletic healthcare system.

Learn more about Colorado's life saving athletic trainers below.

Sara Kramer & Maddie England

Following the collapse of a freshman boys, basketball player during a JV game, Sar Kramer and Maddie England and a host of others collaborated to save the life of Manasse Mahungu.

McClain Whitney & Jorga Cooper

McClain, an Assistant AT at Colorado Mesa University along with MSAT Student Jorja Cooper, were summoned to the University's tennis courts to find a recreational player that had collapsed, had no pulse and was not breathing. Their quick actions resulted in a life saved. McClain and Jorja were awarded the Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action from the American Red Cross.

Ashley Cowan

Ashley Cowan, the long-time, Head Athletic Trainer at Bear Creek High School acted quickly to save the life of a basketball referee during a competition. She performed CPR and administered an AED to save the man's life.

Laura Smith

When a player collapsed during a soccer match, while initially gaining consciousness, the player’s condition quickly deteriorated, leaving him breathless and without a pulse. Laura Smith sprang into action, drawing on her extensive training and quick decision-making ability to administer CPR and utilize a defibrillator—actions that are now unequivocally credited with saving the boy’s life.