As one football season ends, OHIO grad student Nicole Powers is already preparing for the next

As football season has just wrapped and most fans are settling into the offseason, one Ohio University graduate student is already looking ahead to kickoff.

For Nicole Powers, a second-year graduate student in athletic training, the end of one season simply signals the beginning of preparation for the next.

Originally from Indiana, Powers said OHIO was always part of her story as her dad was a Bobcat, and she grew up hearing about Athens long before she ever walked its brick streets herself. During her junior year of high school, she visited campus and quickly felt at home, eventually enrolling in the exercise physiology program.

Her love for the University only deepened over time. 

“I think my family can attest to my love of OHIO based on the fact that all I wear is green now. After six years of being here, you accumulate a lot of free shirts and start getting drawn to buying things in green, so needless to say I’ve absolutely loved being in Athens.”

Although she knew early on that OHIO was her home and that she wanted to work in the health field, Powers’ college experience began in an unexpected way. She started her first semester in fall 2020, learning remotely from her basement before eventually transitioning to in-person courses. She completed her undergraduate degree in exercise physiology in 2024, solidifying her desire to build a career centered on health, performance and patient care.

“I’ve always been interested in anatomy, learning about the human body and learning about injuries in sports,” Powers explained. “I got to combine those components with my love for working with people and ended up finding athletic training.”

OHIO’s Athletic Training program recently transitioned to a master’s-level program, giving Powers additional exposure during her undergraduate years before she officially entered graduate school. Once she did, she leaned in fully both inside and outside the classroom.

Throughout her time at OHIO, Powers immersed herself in campus life. She served as a learning community leader and resident assistant, stayed involved with her church, studied abroad in Spain for a semester, presented at a conference in Florida for the Ohio Honors Program, developed the annual senior sendoff dinner for Honors students, worked as a teaching assistant for the Physical Therapy anatomy lab and even made time for ultimate frisbee.

“I think all of these outside experiences helped tremendously along the way. I worked on developing my leadership, collaborating with people, building my confidence, learning to go with the flow,” she added. “Even though they may not have been specifically geared toward my career, they were all huge parts of becoming the person that I am today, introducing me to people along the way who have continued to support me, and equipping me with life skills that I carry with me to this day.”

In graduate school, her involvement shifted toward professional development. She joined state and national athletic training student boards, expanding her network and gaining a broader perspective on the profession.

“Each opportunity reminds me why I love this field, and I like to stay involved to keep connecting with other people who are just as passionate as I am,” Powers said.

She credits OHIO faculty and mentors for encouraging her along the way.

“I have had so many incredible OHIO people encouraging me along the way, and I keep in touch with all the faculty from my undergraduate time since they played such a big part in supporting me while I figured out what exactly I wanted to do,” Powers said. “Having the space to be able to go after these opportunities and pursue a career that I love has been part of why OHIO has been such a big part of my experience over the years.”

"While Nicole’s success is reflective of her academic and clinical acumen, her leadership, professionalism and compassion for others is what sets her apart and positioned her for this amazing start of her career," Chad Starkey, professor and department chair of Athletic Training at Ohio University, said. "Just as important, she is a positive role model for the other students in the program."

That support helped fuel one of the most pivotal experiences of her graduate career.

As part of the athletic training program, students complete immersive clinical rotations during their second year. While OHIO has several established partnerships, students are also encouraged to build new connections. Powers, who had been working with Air Force ROTC at OHIO as a fitness instructor, began considering how athletic training intersects with military service.

“I had no previous military experience, but I found a contact for the athletic training staff at West Point, ‘cold-emailed’ them with my information and why I was interested in working with their team, and wound up landing an interview and ultimately getting accepted along with a few other students across the country to help with their football season,” Powers explained.

She arrived at West Point in July for fall training camp and stayed through mid-October, balancing online coursework with the demands of Division I football and military structure.

“It was a great learning experience, and I made friendships and connections with the staff and other students to last a lifetime,” she said. “Any athletic trainer can tell you that it’s a very demanding job, with long days, busy schedules, and very minimal time off. I experienced all of that firsthand, but I was also reminded of why I love this field and how rewarding it is to see these athletes come back from injury and get to play their sport again. I also had a new level of respect for what these cadet athletes went through every day with all of the military demands that were the main priority.”

She recalled one staff member noting that at most schools, football practice is the most demanding part of the day, but for cadets, it’s often the least stressful.

“The standards were set high for the cadets and all of the staff, but it helped me to raise my expectations for myself and the work that I did with the team to make sure I was always giving it my best,” she said.

Her time at West Point culminated in an unforgettable return trip to work the Army-Navy game.

“It’s a dream to be at the game, let alone to stand on the sidelines and get to interact with the team again,” Powers shared. “The Army-Navy game is one of the greatest rivalry games in football, but the amount of history behind it was just unbelievable.”

This year marked the 250th anniversary of the military, adding even more meaning to the matchup. From uniforms to fan merchandise, every detail carried historical significance.

“One of my favorite parts about working for this team was how tight-knit this group is. They go through much more than an average football team experiences, and it shows in how much they support each other and how they look out for one another, so to be a part of that group and to see that support up close was such an honor,” she added.

Game day responsibilities were intense and meticulously coordinated.

“For us as students on the sidelines, we’re focused on sideline equipment preparation, locker room setup, pre-game taping for any injuries, then working on the sidelines with our assigned benches for game time. We usually arrive around 6 hours before game time, but with the high levels of security for this game, we arrived at the stadium 8 hours prior to kickoff.”

According to Powers, there is a full staff of athletic trainers on the sideline, as well as a team physician and several sports medicine fellows. 

“It takes quite a large group to make everything happen, but it’s a well-run machine when everyone does their part, and the team knows they are in good hands. The game itself moves pretty quickly as we are constantly moving around and getting whatever is needed for the athletes, but it was amazing to be in that stadium and see thousands of people cheering for our team. I will always remember that experience, and I’m forever grateful for my time spent with that group, on and off the field.”

While that chapter has closed for now, Powers’ football journey is far from over.

After graduating in May, she will begin a one-year athletic training internship with the Washington Commanders, with the possibility of extending her contract and continuing in the NFL.

“With every experience I’ve had, I try to stay present in the moment and be open to whatever doors may open. This was a door that opened through some conversations that I had with my boss at West Point, and I think about how that may not have come up if I didn’t accept that rotation or if I never emailed them in the first place. Everything happens for a reason, and athletic training is a small world where a lot of people are connected, so I want to stay open to whatever opportunities arise next.”

Her long-term goals extend beyond any single team or season. Powers hopes to mentor future athletic training students and advocate for a profession she believes deserves greater recognition.

“I hope that no matter where I go, I can be an advocate to people about the necessity and value of having athletic trainers, and hopefully I can help people see why I love this job so much,” Powers said.

As one season ends, Powers is already preparing and ready for whatever kickoff comes next.