By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
With the start of the 2024-25 school year and prep sports season just around the corner, USD 428 Great Bend was still without an athletic trainer heading into Monday's board of education meeting. Ryan Zink announced he was stepping down from the role after 13 years in April 2023, and Cole Gormley served in the role last year before announcing his resignation in April. Superintendent Khris Thexton laid out a new contract with Advanced Therapy & Sports Medicine in Great Bend to provide athletic trainer services for the next five years.
"We have had Advanced Therapy in the past," he said. "They've always been very supportive of the district. Honestly, between Kevyn Soupiset and Dr. (Jon) Pike, they're roaming the sidelines or in the stands at any major event we have going on so they're always available."
Dr. Soupiset has 25 years of experience in physical therapy and sports medicine, including 15-plus years of volunteering, assisting, or consulting with previous athletic trainers at Great Bend High School. While the trainer portion of the dilemma is solved, GBHS will still have to outsource its sports medicine program to Barton Community College.
"We've gotten a lot of kids in the healthcare facility out of that program," said Board Member Randy Wetzel. "We needed to find a way to get it back."
USD 428 will pay Advanced Therapy & Sports Medicine $25,000 each year for a total of 1,000 hours of work. Any time worked in excess of 1,000 hours will be paid at $30 an hour. The district will continue its search for a full-time trainer and teacher.