Jan. 31 marked athletic trainer Caitlin Steiding’s last day of work at the school after holding the position since 2021.
Steiding, who announced her resignation on Instagram on Dec. 14 due to personal reasons, plans to flip to a new page of her career by taking a position as a manager at Golden State Orthopedics & Spine.
Her new job will be part of the office’s Durable Medical Equipment section (DME) where she will work with patients and handle insurance, authorizations and equipment ordering. She said her new job, which starts Feb. 3, offers a more predictable schedule and will help her maintain a healthier 9-to-5 schedule with more flexibility to focus on her personal life and future plans.
Steiding’s mid-year departure is particularly impactful for winter athletes who have been working on rehabilitation with her these past months. Since she was contracted out to work at the school by Golden State Orthopedics & Spine in 2021, the clinic is looking to hire another athletic trainer, the same way they did Steiding, and source them to SHS. If one is not found soon, athletic director Rick Ellis says that the school will contract an athletic trainer for certain events, provided by a source such as Go4.
She will be missed by several student athletes who had gotten close with her over the years — especially those in the Class of 2025, who Steiding first worked with. She feels that her connections with athletes greatly differs from that of a teacher and student.
“I feel sometimes people need someone to talk to, and you can always talk to your teachers, but I’m in a different setting,” Steiding said. “I’m not here all the time. You spend time with me after school with your friends, you tell me about what’s going on with your lives, all that kind of stuff. It’s nice being there for the athletes when they need it.”
Steiding has formed bonds with several athletes, helping them through their injuries and serving as a mentor.
Steiding has been working with junior Ava Cai, a varsity basketball player, since Cai suffered a concussion in her freshman year. Since then, Cai has gotten much closer with Steiding, even referring to her as a “big sister” figure.
In Cai’s sophomore year, after jamming her finger several times, she developed a long-term injury that hurt her confidence and made it difficult for her to play in games. Steiding didn’t only support Cai by taping her finger or checking in on her, but also by providing emotional support: “Caitlin’s support both physically and emotionally helped ease my recovery. I’m sure many athletes can echo the same,” Cai said.
Sophomore Anson Hulme, a tri-sport athlete, holds a similar sentiment upon Steiding’s exit. As a football, basketball and volleyball player, Hulme has found himself injured, sore or concussed regularly. Steiding’s guidance to push through injuries have even helped Hulme prevent recurring ailments.
“In the last two months, I’ve had two concussions,” he said. “Having her there to help me get rehabilitated from those, and just being there as someone to talk to about it has helped immensely.”
While Steiding is disappointed that she couldn’t finish out the school year as the athletic trainer, she knows this change is a step in the right direction for her, saying: “I’m gonna miss all the teams. I’m gonna miss getting to spend time with all the athletes. I’m gonna miss working out in the field and working at all the different games and events. But I think it’ll be good for me.”
