Experience as only intern at World Lacrosse Championships paved student’s path to success

January 14, 2021

Haley with Team USA FOGO Greg Gurenlian on the sideline at the World Lacrosse Championships in Netanya Israel (2018)

Haley Wong `21, DPT `23, has wanted to be an athletic trainer since high school, but wondered if she had what it took. Any lingering doubts were silenced when she was chosen to be a medical intern at the World Lacrosse Championships in Netanya, Israel, in the summer of 2018.

“My professors really encouraged me to put myself out there for an internship
that I did not think I would be considered for,” she said.

The only student intern at the tournament, Wong coordinated team treatment times, supervised the medical area and worked closely with the Israeli EMS team. She worked 16-hour days for 3 straight weeks — and said she loved every minute of it.

“I was treated like a professional,” she said. “I came back to Quinnipiac in the fall with a newfound confidence in my abilities.”

Wong got the chance to shine again the following summer at the University of
Kansas. Thanks to a partnership Quinnipiac has with the University of Kansas
athletic training staff, she worked as an assistant trainer for UK pre-season
football.

Wong was involved in all aspects of athlete wellness, from treatment to rehab, learned therapy modalities and diagnostic techniques she had never seen, and got a taste for running a practice in the summer heat for 100 uniformed players.

“I grew to understand the complexity of an AT’s responsibilities outside of the training room,” she said. “It’s something I’ll reflect on for the rest of my career.”

Wong’s dream is to work as a college athletic trainer in Division I Men’s Lacrosse, and work her way up to the professional or national team circuit. She knows she has what it takes to make that dream a reality.

“My experiences have shown me that I’m capable of much more than I thought, and I know I’m on the right path to where I want to be,” she said.

Learn more about the BS in Athletic Training

Learn more about the Dual-Degree BS in Athletic Training/Doctor of Physical Therapy (4+3)

Stay Connected

Subscribe