Head Athletic Trainer Parry Finds Perks, Joy in His Career

For head athletic trainer Carlos Parry, hard work has definitely has paid off with an incredible reward. His journey began right here in the District of Columbia. At a young age, Parry’s love for sports set him up for the career he would grow to love.

“Growing up I wanted to be a doctor and major in radiology, but I couldn’t find any schools. So I decided to become a trainer due to my love of sports” Parry stated.

Although Parry didn’t go into the field he intended upon, he chose one in which he could do what he ultimately wanted to do, help people. So Parry searched and found California University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in exercise science with a concentration in performance enhancement and injury prevention. It was here that he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. But like everything worth having, getting his degrees didn’t come without complications.

Parry’s collegiate career was filled with challenges that at times were a deterrent. Just like any other college student, the workload can sometimes become stressful. For many students the adjustment can be an overwhelming task.

“There are a lot of long days and lots of studying to do. There are days where you feel like giving up. It is easy to get off track” says Parry with a serious face.

With that type of adversity, it is easy to falter. But Parry didn’t’ crack under the pressure. Instead he offered some advise on how to make it through the rough times. He encourages students to strive to be better and to stay away from having “tunnel vision.” He also offers special advise for those striving to become athletic trainers.

That last statement is one that transcends well with Parry. The joy in his eyes when he speaks about his job as an athletic trainer is unprecedented. When a student athlete becomes injured, he work began. During this time, he is able to gain a one on one relationship with his patients. This is one of the best perks in his opinion. Not only is he able to meet different people, he is able to watch them progress and return to the player they were before their injury occurred. Who wouldn’t want to see their hard work has done.

But with all that hard work, one must have a little time for play. This proves true for Carlos. Being that he is from the D.C. area, he is able to spend lots of time with his family and friends. Family is a very important part of his life. In addition to that, he enjoys his free time riding his motorcycle, bowling and traveling. Though those activities are fun, Parry’s dedication still remains to his job at Howard.

According to Parry, the future of athletic training is promising. He has many ideas to enhance the program at Howard University.

“I would like to get a graduate level athletic program and a bigger facility. Also I want to change the stigma of trainers. The trainer and athlete relationship will be better. Possibly I could change the staff wardrobe and hire more trainers. And of course this is going to take a lot of money; so I plan on getting a couple fundraisers started” Parry says excitedly.

Thinking outside the box like that has allowed Parry to become the man his is today. With ideas and determination like that, Howard University and Carlos Parry only have the best to look forward too.

“Always study hard. Gain positive relationships with different people. Be a good communicator. Don’t be afraid to apply for a position you may not think you can get. Don’t get discouraged. And most of all, just love what you do.