Amy Metiva 2

LSSU Athletic Training Alumna Travels National Motocross and Snocross Circuits

Amy Metiva, LSSU class of 1993, tells a great story. About stalking the Harlem Globetrotters bus, running out in the middle of motocross courses during the Lucas Oil Motocross / Monster Energy Supercross events to treat an athlete, being part of the FXR Mobile Medical Team for the AMS Oil Snocross National tour, and becoming the only female athletic trainer today in professional motocross and snocross.

Amy Metiva 1All this in her spare time. One of her many jobs is working for McLaren Bay Region as a certified athletic trainer contracted into Pinconning High School. While at PHS she works with 200+ athletes, taking care of injuries, prevention and treatments of various sports injuries. Amy’s other job is being a paraprofessional for Standish-Sterling Central High School assisting special needs students. Some of her students at SSC are blind, autistic, diabetic, and paraplegic.  Amy helps them all.

How does a certified athletic trainer from a rural high school in the middle of Michigan end up working national snocross, motocross, and supercross competitions?

It’s a story worth telling.

Amy was a student in the exercise science program at Lake Superior State University in the early 1990s. While she was here, the Harlem Globetrotters played a benefit game at the Norris Center. Amy was super pumped about the visit – she envisioned working with pro athletes some day. She was desperate for the opportunity to talk to the athletic trainer working for the Globetrotters, but unsure how to get an introduction. So she stalked the bus.  She hung out at the bus for hours, waiting for the team to board after the game, and she snagged Kent Lindsay, the athletic trainer for the Globetrotters. He graciously agreed to meet her, and they spent three hours talking at the Palace Saloon and Restaurant. Kent gave her advice on how to go about being a professional athletic trainer, life on the road, and expectations of an elite level ATC. That night had a significant impact on Amy’s decision to become a better student in order to fulfill her dream of working with professional sports.

Amy graduated in 1993 and started her career at Northwood University as the assistant athletic trainer, then to West Michigan Rehabilitation and Amy Metiva mobile med teamAllegan High School.  She finally landed in the small town of Standish, working for McLaren Bay Region contracted into Pinconning High School as the head athletic trainer.

On a snowy day in January 2017, Amy received an email from her supervisor at McLaren Bay Region Hospital asking her if she would be interested in working a national snocross event in Mt. Pleasant. She jumped at the chance to work with elite and professional athletes in the sport of snocross.

After working a couple of snocross events, Amy was asked to become the lead athletic trainer on the National Snocross Circuit with the FXR Mobile Medical Team. Amy, along with the rest of the team, which consists of an ER physician, nurse and an EMT, work out of a thirty foot snowmobile trailer equipped as an mobile emergency room. Athletes and anyone in the paddock who is part of the show are treated at no charge for services rendered.

Snocross is definitely a family affair, as you get to know your riders on both a professional and personal level. Once I treat an athlete, they become my athlete. Even if I never see them again, I take ownership of their medical wellbeing.Amy Metiva

Amy still calls LSSU Exercise Science Professor Joe Susi to ask for help on occasion. He provides advice on dealing with certain situations without judging. “Lake State gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams and end up achieving them, due to the foundation that the instructors and community gave me to succeed,” said Amy. She also became a nationally registered Emergency Medical Technician over this past summer to improve her skill set.  At this time she is the only female athletic trainer in professional Motocross, Supercross, and Snocross. It is a passion. Amy tries to be a role model for girls, delivering the message that you do not need someone else to determine your worth. “Never let anyone dull your sparkle,” she tells current students.

Amy Metiva with rider

Dr. Susi commented, “Amy has always been passionate and enthusiastic about athletic training. When Amy calls me and tells me the stories from her adventures I can feel the passion in her voice. Amy has educated me on the horrible injuries that happen quite frequently on the circuit, and in three weeks they are racing again. This is truly inspirational and demonstrates the quality of care that she and the rest of the medical team provide for these athletes. As part of the cross- disciplinary medical team, Amy has shown her colleagues the value that an ATC brings to the table in the delivery of quality healthcare. I know she is proud of the fact that she is the only female ATC in the ranks of these professional athletes, and LSSU is proud to call her one of our own.”

Amy’s parting advice: “Go after your dream even if it seems impossible, because it just might be possible.”

About the Author

Susan FitzpatrickSusan Fitzpatrick
Director of Alumni Relations

Susan started working at Lake Superior State University one year after she graduated from Lake State with a bachelor's in English Language and Literature in 1987. She has held various positions for the Foundation and Alumni offices and has been Alumni Director since 2006. In her free time Susan enjoys reading, running, biking, hiking, kayaking and gardening, and cooking as long as someone else cleans up!

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