CU-Lock Haven student returns to high school alma mater for hands-on clinical immersion before commissioning into active-duty Army

Conor Custer, of New Freedom, graduated from Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in May with a master's degree in athletic training. Every Lock Haven athletic training student completes a semester-long clinical immersion as part of their final semester. Custer chose to return to his alma mater, Susquehannock High School (SHS) to complete his externship.

While completing his immersion at SHS, he worked under the supervision of his previous high school athletic trainer, Kallie Fancher and her assistant, Madison Molfetto.

Custer first became interested in the field of athletic training during his junior year at SHS. He did an informal job shadowing with SHS's then assistant athletic trainer and Lock Haven alumnus Jason Schoonover '11 LAT, ATC, CSCS. After observing evaluations and treatments, assisting with rehabilitation and learning how to wrap/tape ice bags, ankles and wrists, Custer knew that athletic training and Lock Haven were the right for him.

Upon finishing his classes and clinical rotations at Lock Haven, Custer had a thorough understanding of five domains of athletic training and was ready to apply and improve upon them at his clinical immersion.

Custer arrived at SHS in January in the middle of winter sports. He worked with basketball, wrestling and swimming until the end of February. Custer said that girls' basketball was his favorite sport to work with during the winter season.

"The girls' basketball team just had a different kind of atmosphere to it," Custer said. "Most of them had been playing basketball together year-round since they were in elementary school. Most of them played for the York Thunder AAU basketball in the spring and summer and some played other sports, oftentimes with some of their basketball teammates. There is a deep sense of family that surrounds the team, and I'm glad that I was able to be a part of their season."

Family is a factor for the SHS girls' basketball team as Alex Fancher, the husband of Custer's preceptor, Kallie Fancher, is the head coach of the varsity team and Alex's father, Terry Fancher, coaches the JV team as well as the York Thunder.

Between the winter and spring seasons, Custer was able to return to his first clinical site, Lycoming College. He had the opportunity for another clinical learning experience, the NCAA Division III Southeastern Regional Wrestling tournament. Under the guidance of his first athletic training preceptor, Lock Haven athletic training alumna Kaitie Bottorf '14 MS, LAT, ATC, Custer worked in a collegiate playoff wrestling environment and broadened his scope of experiences.

From March to May, Custer was able to experience the organized chaos of spring sports. This gave him experience with weather delays, managing a schedule of games and rescheduled games, getting multiple sports ready and out the door for their away games, preparing multiple fields for simultaneous games, responding to injuries on a different field while working an event and managing an athletic training room with over 200 athletes. The athletes came from over 10 different sports, ranging from baseball and softball to unified track and feld and lacrosse.

"Getting experience with so many different sports, especially at the high school setting, is why I came back to SHS," Custer said. "I was able to gain collegiate experience while at Lock Haven and I felt that I needed more high school experience. This way, I'll be a more appealing job candidate because I'll have experience at most levels of competition."

Following graduation, Custer will go on to serve six years in the active-duty Amy as a commissioned officer in the Armor Corps ,after earning his commission from Lock Haven Army ROTC in May. He also served six years in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, three years as a cavalry scout and three years as an Army cadet, both prior to and during his time at Lock Haven.

"I loved my time as a soldier in the PA National Guard and I'm looking forward to giving back to a country that has done so much for me already," Custer said. "I'm going to use my skills as an athletic trainer to make sure that my fellow soldiers always have the best care available to them and are taken care of."

Custer plans to either go back to the National Guard while working full-time as an athletic trainer or possibly pursue a doctorate degree.