In every school, there is a constant need for skilled professionals in the athletic training field, and Hempfield Area is lucky enough to have the best of the best. Lisa Brose has been working with Hempfield athletes since September 10, 1991 and has won more than 20 WPIAL titles next to hundreds of Hempfield athletes.
Being an athletic trainer may seem like a career for those who simply like sports, but it is much more complex than that. Mrs. Brose explains, “It’s a healthcare profession with long hours, high responsibility, and a lot of behind-the-scenes work”. Brose advises that those interested in the field, “Get the right education early, be ready for certification and licensing, develop people skills just as much as clinical skill, expect unconventional hours, learn to handle pressure, be honest about your motivation, and never stop learning”. This short list of steps is what has made Mrs. Brose so successful and someone who never lost her passion for helping athletes.
Working with Hempfield Area athletes was something special for Mrs. Brose that she will forever be grateful for. “My favorite part about working with Hempfield athletes is building relationships and watching them grow. Whether it’s helping someone come back from an injury or seeing their confidence develop over time, it’s really rewarding to be part of that process”. A big factor of her job is being a support system for athletes while helping them get through hard times that may feel like the end of the world.
The hours sound extensive, but she explains that she rarely has nothing to do, “Being around competition, energy, and team culture keeps things from feeling stale. Even though the hours can be long, you’re usually not bored”.
After many years of doing the thing she loved, she is looking forward to after retirement. She plans on traveling to places she never had that chance to go and spend time with her people. She looks forward to getting back to doing things she enjoys the most and finally have time to focus on herself.
Her co-workers who she has mentored through the years are very thankful for “showing them the ropes” of Hempfield Area athletic training and will miss her very much. Noah Martin has been taught many things but says “I believe the most important two things she has taught me is when to show compassion towards a student athlete and when to push an athlete to their full potential. She taught me that every athlete responds differently and therefore every athlete should be treated individually”.
Martin wishes the best for Lisa and her future after retirement and would like to leave her with one last thank you. “Not only is Lisa a great athletic trainer, she is a great person. I have gained so much clinical knowledge with her, from anatomy to evaluation skills, but the most important things I have learned from her are not related to the profession, but to life. She is wise beyond her years, and I am so happy I had the opportunity to spend the last two and a half years working with her.”
On an ending note of Lisa’s career, she would like to leave young athletes with this- “take recovery seriously. Sleep, nutrition, and injury rehab aren’t ‘extra’—they’re part of performance. Ignoring them might help you push through in the short term, but it usually costs you more later. Speak up when something feels off. Playing through pain gets glorified, but it can turn minor issues into long-term problems. A good athlete knows when to push and when to protect their future. Stay coachable, even when you’re experienced. The athletes who last—and improve—are the ones who keep learning, not the ones who think they’ve already figured it out. Also, build a life outside your sport. Whether it’s school, relationships, or other interests, having something beyond competition keeps you grounded and helps a lot when your career ends or changes. And finally, remember why you started. Pressure, expectations, and competition can drain the fun out of it. If you lose that completely, it’s worth”.
Thank you, Lisa for everything you have done for Hempfield Area and the many athletes outside of the district. We wish you the best of luck!
