For the past decade, Athletic Trainer Kevin Gramata commonly known as “TK,” has been a crucial part of West Essex athletics. He has become integral for athletes seeking guidance and support throughout their recovery. His journey as an athletic trainer started close to home, as his father was a physical therapist.
“I was around physical therapy (PT) growing up, I also got hurt a lot as a kid,” he said. “I never went to my school’s trainer, but I knew I wanted to do something in the PT field”.
TK became interested in working with youth athletes, specifically at the high school level. After graduating from Montclair State University, he spent his first six months out of college in a performance training clinic and then joined the West Essex staff in the summer of 2014. Throughout his 10 years here, he has also worked at physical therapy clinics and sports performance training clinics.
While most of Trainer Kevin’s job is working on athletes post-injury, he is also an advocate for prevention.
“It’s tough because sometimes when I see kids, it’s usually after an injury happens, so being able to treat the injury at the start is important,” he said.
His approach to prevention includes strength training, muscle stabilization and off-season programs that may target neglected areas of the body. Working out neglected parts of the body, like the ankles, is key to preventing injury.
In recent years, he has seen a trend in professional sports with increasing injuries due to athletes becoming bigger, stronger and faster. Regarding high school, he says that injuries fluctuate from game to game depending on their opponent.
“It depends on sports, the size of the schools we’re competing against, bigger schools and bigger kids. That can definitely lead to more injuries,” he said.
TK also works closely with coaches, physical therapists and doctors to ensure the safety of all athletes.
When it comes to a student’s offseason, he encourages them to focus on self-care. Listening to your body is a very important part of keeping yourself healthy.
“Get ample rest,” he said. “If you’re going from sport to sport, give yourself time to rest. Sleep is super important, and don’t neglect certain parts of your body”.
One of the hardest parts of his job is telling students that they can’t play. He knows that no one wants to sit on the sidelines, which makes it tough to tell them, but he looks forward to watching them get back onto the field.
“From when they’re out to when they’re back, that’s the thing to keep you motivated and to be proud of,” he said.
The true reward is seeing the kids he has been working with finally get back to 100 percent. With his support, West Essex athletes have not only become physically stronger but also learn that it takes dedication and perseverance to overcome hardships.
