WILMINGTON, Ohio - Robbie Oates, a 2012 Wilmington College graduate, will be returning to his alma mater to serve as an assistant athletic trainer beginning in the 2023-24 academic year. This will be Oates' second stint at WC as he was an assistant athletic trainer from 2015-19.
"Wilmington College has always felt like a second home, going all the way back to when I was a student here," said Oates. "The chance to come back, on top of being able to work with a great company like Beacon Orthopedics, was just an opportunity I couldn't turn down."
Oates has spent the last four years as both an assistant professor of athletic training and clinical athletic trainer at fellow Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) member Heidelberg University. In the classroom, he has taught various courses in both the Master of Athletic Training program as well as the health sciences undergraduate program. Courses taught include, but are not limited to: Acute Care of Injury & Illness, Therapeutic Interventions, Clinical Proficiences in Athletic Training, Taping & Bracing and Medical Evaluation & Documentation.
In the clinic, Oates had primary athletic training coverage for Student-Prince women's basketball, men's soccer, women's soccer, baseball and track & field while serving as the clinical preceptor for the graduate program.
"The athletic training clinical staff is very excited that Robbie is able to rejoin us," Head Athletic Trainer Brian Dykhuizen said. "His expertise and passion for athletic training will enhance the care we can provide to the athletes of Wilmington College."
Oates' first stint at WC, he was employed by College partner Drayer Physical Therapy and assisted Dykhuizen in clinical coverage of all 18 varsity sports. Oates was the primary athletic trainer for the women's soccer, men's basketball and softball programs, as well as implementing and supervising injury prevention programs and off-season weight training regimens for all 18 varsity programs.
Before Wilmington, Oates spent three years as a full-time minor league baseball athletic trainer with the Kansas City Royals organization. He was responsible for covering Spring Training from February-March, Extended Spring Training from April-June and working the Short Season Advanced Rookie Level Affiliate of the Royals, the Idaho Falls Chukars, from June-September. Oates was selected as the Pioneer League Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2014.
A 2012 graduate Magna Cum Laude of Wilmington, Oates earned a degree in athletic training with a psychology minor. He served as a part-time athletic trainer at his alma mater for the fall and winter seasons of the 2014-15 season before being hired by Drayer. Oates received his Doctorate in Athletic Training degree from the University of Idaho in 2018.
Oates is a board certified athletic trainer as well as a NASM corrective exercise and performance enhancement specialist. He will begin at WC on July 31 and have primary clinical coverage of Quaker volleyball, men's basketball and men's lacrosse.
