Athletic Training Plus: A New Partner Model for KC’s High School ATCs

With Thanksgiving now in the rearview mirror, most high school athletic trainers are done with fall sports, organizing off-season treatments, coordinating physician visits, and building return-to-play plans.

At the same time, they’re jumping into pre-season coverage for winter sports that begin almost immediately after the holiday. After months of covering multiple teams and near-constant travel, they’re headed straight into the next cycle. The grind never really stops.

I understand this rhythm deeply.

I lived it for more than twenty years: one athletic trainer, hundreds of athletes, and event coverage that pushes into the double digits each week. There’s never enough time, and the athletes are often the ones who feel the consequences of that time crunch.

The question that kept coming to mind over the years was simple: what would it look like if athletic trainers had real support?

What if their seasons were lighter, their athletes made faster progress, and their care wasn’t limited by time, space, or insurance constraints?

That’s what we've developed into our Athletic Training Plus services at Restore Thrive. Our mission is to partner with area athletic trainers, not to replace them.

Our goal is to take the weight off their shoulders and help their athletes overcome injuries and return to the field better than before.

High school ATCs juggle a staggering list of responsibilities every afternoon: multiple treatments, complex rehabilitations, injury evaluations, scheduling referrals, preparing teams for practice, and providing event coverage both on and off-site.

Even the most dedicated ATC can't do it all within the margins the system gives them.

What options do they have?

Most local high schools contract through large healthcare systems or physical therapy groups. These systems promise a full menu of services, but they often fall short in the very areas athletes need most: continuity of care, transparent pricing, individualized treatment, collaborative communication, and a true bridge from injury back to performance.

This isn’t the fault of the ATC, nor the physicians or physical therapists working alongside them.

The system itself is built in a way that constrains what’s possible.

Athletes deserve more.

They deserve what we call the "magis": more or greater.

At Restore Thrive, delivering the magis is the foundation of our model.

There aren't 400 other athletes distracting us, 12 other games we have to manage, and limited one-on-one time with our athletes.

Because of that freedom, we design plans around what the athlete actually needs, not what time allows or what insurance will reimburse.

Our athletes receive one-on-one care for the entire visit, often with two practitioners when the situation calls for it. There’s no handing athletes off to aides or techs, no recycled exercise sheets, and no pre-set routine.

What sets us apart in physical therapy becomes even more powerful in return-to-sport and performance work.

We are experts in our domain. For nearly two decades, Dr. Tim Cummings and I have worked as coaches and consultants with Power Athlete, a global leader in strength and conditioning. That experience allows us to guide athletes through any stage of the process: building foundations, rebuilding after injury, or chasing ambitious performance goals.

We help identify developmental gaps, assist with programming progressions, and support communication between doctors, ATCs, sport coaches, and strength coaches.

We are part of a larger network of exceptional practitioners. Chiropractors, massage therapists, nutrition coaches, and other professionals play critical roles in athlete health.

When an athlete needs something outside our scope, we connect them to the right person directly - no referral needed.

The point is not to keep athletes inside our four walls; the point is to get them what they need.

Because we believe deeply in partnership, I extend a standing invitation to all area ATCs: come to any appointment with your athlete.

We can evaluate together.

We can build a plan together.

We can bridge the gap between therapy and performance.

This improves communication, maximizes your facility’s resources, and strengthens relationships with coaches.

Most importantly, it gives athletes the best chance to return to their sport as better, more durable versions of themselves.

Athletic training isn't fanny packs and ankle tape. It's not E-stim, ice, three sets of ten, or resistance bands.

Athletic training sits at the frontline of athlete health and performance, and it deserves support that matches its importance.

We’re here for the magis.

We know there are other like-minded practitioners in this city who feel the same.

Let’s connect and provide more together!