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USL Sacramento Republic FC

Women in Sports Spotlight Series: Katy Norton

March 31, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sacramento Republic FC News Release


Ever since the boys in Old Glory Red took the pitch for the very first time in 2014, Katy Norton has been right there with them on the sidelines as the team's physical therapist. She's been there to celebrate the best of times including a 2014 championship and countless come-from-behind victories. She's been there for the late game-winning goals and all the unforgettable outings where a Republic FC player hit a remarkable milestone.

But along with the celebrations are the difficult moments - including the unfortunate fact that injuries are just as much a part of the game.

The Azusa Pacific University graduate earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and ever since the inaugural 2014 Republic FC season, Katy's been on the sidelines and in the training facilities helping every member of the squad reach their best physical potential. She maps out individual work out plans catered specifically to each player and if a player is recovering from an injury, she's right by their side to steer them along the path towards recovery.

In a recent interview with SRFC, Dr. Cassandra Lee - the Chief of Sports Medicine at UCDH and orthopedic surgeon for Republic FC - had nothing short of glowing remarks about her colleague who is also an integral part of the team behind bringing the boys in Old Glory Red back onto the pitch following an injury.

"Katy is worth her weight in gold, she is incredible," said the UCDH Chief of Sports Medicine. "She's great with the players, she's an incredible therapist and anything I do from a surgical standpoint doesn't really matter unless the therapist is there to guide the healing and guide the recovery. Having Katy and Betty [Olmedo] there make a huge difference."

Challenges are something that Katy takes head-on. She notes that every player, every injury, every recovery process is different for each player. And the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic presented no shortage of challenges for Katy as she continued to help the boys in Old Glory Red prepare for the season ahead. However, that didn't stop her from focusing on helping the squad stick to their fitness regiments - especially those recovering from a lengthy injury.

"The pandemic was really tough, especially for Shannon Gomez who was coming off his ACL and was really getting into an OK spot with his knee right when everything shut out," Katy explained. "We didn't have access, he couldn't come see me in my facility, we couldn't get him in the gym, he literally had to be at home, and he was doing ladder drills in his hallway. We would do teleconferences, we would video with him doing his exercises. So, it really came down to having a plan for every day so he would get an email every day, but it really came down to Shannon doing what he needed to do because we couldn't be there with him. We could only guide him, but Shannon is such a pro, he did excellent."

Along Shannon's journey to returning to the pitch, Katy was constantly there - physically by his side or just a simple phone call away during the pandemic - to providing support and guidance, as she's done with so many SRFC players recovering from injuries over the years. But Katy helps more athletes in the region than just the boys in Old Glory Red - where she is one of three accomplished women who make up the SRFC sports medical staff.

At the Results Physical Therapy and Training Center, Katy continues to share her physical therapy expertise and help others strive to reach their best. She's been with the organization since 2012 and has helped countless athletes along the way. And the joy she feels when they return to their respective sports is no question a fulfilling one.

"I feel like when they're out there on the field after an injury, I'm out there with them," Katy said regarding how wonderful it is to see the players return to playing the sports they love. "I score a goal when they score a goal, it's a really cool feeling. Way back when Emrah [Klimenta] returned from an ACL and he scored in his first game back - those are those moments that are such proud moments for me because I feel like I was with that person through some of the most challenging time and then to watch them come back and succeed is an incredible feeling."

But she's also had to conquer some internal challenges en route to becoming the leader within the Republic FC soccer operations and technical staff that she is today.

"When I first started working in professional sports, I definitely had to challenge my own confidence I would say and my ability to stand up for what I thought and what I felt was best and to make my voice heard. I thought that was really challenging at the beginning," Katy said. "So I've learned to speak up and have an opinion and work as a team to come to a conclusion and if you disagree, that's OK and that's healthy."

But being a female in a traditionally male-dominated industry is something that doesn't faze Katy because if you're good at what you do, respect will immediately follow - regardless of gender. And as a respected leader within the club, Katy is paving that path for the next wave of women who one day dream of being in a similar role that she has - having a direct impact on benefitting the team itself.

"People don't really care if you're male or female as long as they know that you know what you are doing," Katy said. "I've had a number of great experiences and never really felt like I was treated different or anything because I'm a female because they respect you when you know what you're doing. As long as you can strive to be the very best you can be, then you're going to get what you want and you're going to get where you want."

Katy is tough as nails but has the ability to comfort, care for and help others see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the recovery process.

Katy has earned the respect and trust of the players and coaches within the Indomitable Club and her commitment to consistently offering support and guidance is what makes her such a polished professional and an even better role model.

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