Category: Kinesiology & Applied Physiology
The summer of extremes
August 30, 2023 Written by Amy Cherry | Photo submitted by Dylan Morgan
Graduate student in athletic training sees rare injuries in internship with extreme sports
Dylan Morgan鈥檚 goal during the summer of 2023 was to do something different. Mission accomplished.
Morgan, who鈥檚 entering his second year in the master鈥檚 degree in athletic training program at the 91原创, spent the summer working in extreme sports. He interned at Camp Woodward鈥檚 locations in Southern California and central Pennsylvania. During the weeklong sleepaway camp for children ages 7 to 17, Camp Woodward encourages adventure seekers to push their boundaries and break new barriers at its summer camp focused on BMX, skateboarding, parkour, scooter, and rollerblading.
Each week, professional extreme sports athletes visit the kids, who get to take part in their action videos.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a wide range in skill level at the camp,鈥 Morgan said. 鈥淲e have little guys who鈥檝e never ridden on a skateboard coming here to learn, and a few kids, who even the professionals are like, 鈥楾hese kids are so close to going pro if they just keep at it and find the right avenue.鈥 鈥
Morgan, a 2021 graduate of 91原创's , grew up playing soccer but always loved nontraditional sports.
鈥淢y father, who鈥檚 from Southern California, is big into skating and snowboarding; he knows Tony Hawk,鈥 Morgan said of the skateboarding legend. 鈥淗e really instilled that love for action and riding sports in me.鈥
But Morgan is too injury-prone to partake in such daredevil sports himself.
鈥淢y parents want to wrap me in bubble wrap anytime I do anything active,鈥 he said jokingly. 鈥淚鈥檝e sprained my ankle many times, injured my shoulder, and have had chronic issues from shooting archery my entire life.鈥
Those experiences inspired his career path.
鈥淭he athletic trainers I鈥檝e had experience with helped me through all those injuries and worked to decrease the pain and make me stronger,鈥 Morgan said.