Jerry Meins Q&A session

Published on December 8, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Aeros trainer Jerry Meins recently took time out of his schedule to answer questions submitted through www.aeros.com.

Crystal in Stafford

Q: Jerry - Have you ever gotten hit with a puck while on the bench during a game?

A: Several times by the puck, but with only some bruises from them. But I have been hit once with a stick which was accidentally swung into the bench and opened up a gash on my forehead which caused me to have 14 stitches placed into the wound.

Phil from Baytown

Q: You've worked with a lot of different athletes. My question is – who's tougher, hockey players or football players?

A: I believe that when a player gets to the professional level he is really tough or he would still not be playing. It is very true though that it is harder to get a hockey player to stop playing after an injury than in any other sport except perhaps for rodeo cowboys.

Scott from Houston

Q: Who's the most conditioned athlete you've ever been around?

A: Again the hockey athletes are in superb shape and are definitely the best conditioned of all the athletes I have worked with. This is probably due to their high aerobic capacity from all the bike riding they do before and after practices.

Adam from Conroe

Q: Jerry, what's your wife think about the Grizzly Adams playoff beard?

A: Not much...She loves the playoffs but cannot stand the beard when it is fully grown out as it has been for so many years.

Tim from St. Paul

Q: Do you have to do anything different with the players in the South to adjust them to the heat, etc?

A: Yes, and we talk about it a lot early in the season and then again late in the year during the playoffs. Because the outside heat can drain an athlete fairly quickly, we try to encourage them to stay away from the pool and golf course then. Now during the winter our weather is so good that we want them to enjoy the privilege of playing in the South. We push the electrolyte solutions and pills all the time and have Pedialyte or IV's available come playoff time.

Sarah from Houston

Q: I'm interested in being an athletic trainer. What kind of education/training does it take?

A: The profession of athletic training is rapidly changing right now. In the past you would work as a student athletic trainer and go through an apprenticeship program of work hours, actual course work, and then passing a national certification test. Now we are going to an actual degree program through approved colleges and universities. Please check out www.nata.org for a complete listing of course study and approved institutions. Again the best way to prepare is work as a student athletic trainer at your high school or college. This will really let you know if this is a profession for you.

Marty from South Houston

Q: What is a typical day like for you?

A: On a practice day I get to the rink at 7 a.m. to get everything ready for practice. That includes the water and Gatorade for the bench, supplies laid out in the training room and cold tubs filled with ice. I will do the coaches' injury report and work on injury records until the players arrive at 8:30 for treatments. I will treat the injured players with the appropriate therapy modalities such as hot packs, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, massage, etc. At the same time I will do any protective taping or padding that needs to be applied on any player for prevention of further injury. As the healthy players go out on the ice, I will then work with those too injured to practice and follow up with the rehabilitation of those on long-term injury status. I finish our player activities about 2 p.m. and then grab lunch and hit the computer for a couple of hours to enter the injury records and finish about 5:30.

Now on game day it is a little different for those of us behind the scenes, as we start with a 6 a.m. drive downtown to the Toyota Center, as we have an early pre-game skate and the gear is usually moved down early in the morning. (The equipment guys start even earlier packing all the bags at the Aerodrome). I will help unload the truck, unpack the player bags, and then do the normal pre practice activities. By noon most of our players are gone back to their home for their pre-game nap so we grab lunch at the Toyota Center employees food service area (honestly this is the best lunch and best buy in town and makes our day).

After this it is clean up and preparation for the night's game. I usually end up doing records during this time, as I have never been one for an afternoon nap although other athletic trainers and equipment managers usually do. The players will start arriving by 4 p.m., and we will get them ready to play in the game that night with treatments, stretching and protective taping. After the game the hard work starts, as we pack up all the player gear, sticks, trunks, medical bags again and move them back to the Aerodrome for the next day as we rarely play back-to-back games. By 12:30 a.m., I am usually headed home and try to get in bed by 1 a.m. so that I can start it all over the next day.

Now the poor equipment men will still be at the ‘Drome doing laundry for a couple more hours. Long days, but the reward is great as I am doing something I have loved since I was child and the time really flies by especially when you win.

Thanks to everyone for participating in the www.aeros.com Q&A session. All questions may not be answered. Check www.aeros.com soon for your chance to vote for the next participant.

Aeros Holiday Stuffers make great Christmas gifts for the favorite fan in your life. Holiday Stuffers include four tickets, a free ticket voucher and $10 restaurant gift certificate, and best of all they begin at just $40.

The Aeros play at Toyota Center next Thursday, Dec. 16 (7:05 p.m.) and Saturday, Dec. 18 (7:35 p.m.) versus the Norfolk Admirals. Thursday is an Aeros Happy Hour. Get a corner ticket plus free parking for just $15, and enjoy pre- and post-game drink specials ($1 well drinks and drafts) at The Bus II across from Toyota Center. Or, get a center ice seat, free parking, $10 in Toyota Bucks and pre- and post-game drink specials at The Bus II for $30. Call the Aeros office at 713.974.PUCK for more information.

The Saturday, Dec. 18 game is the Aeros' Teddy Bear Toss and Toy Drive to benefit the Children's Assessment Center. The first 3,000 fans will also receive a Santa Bobblehead Doll.

Please note that tonight's player appearance at The Galleria to raise pancreatic cancer awareness has been rescheduled for a later date.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2004


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