Sophomore Miku Chikakane traveled more than 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean and the international date line to study kinesiology at 吃瓜头条.
She chose to leave Tokyo, one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan areas of the world, for Merced, a small, charming town in central California, and the chance to further study kinesiology and get better at her craft as an athletic trainer.
鈥淎thletic training in the U.S. is the highest level anywhere,鈥� Chikakane said. 鈥淚 came because I want to be a certified athletic trainer in the United States.鈥�
Blue Devils head volleyball coach Jessica Casey, who also teaches kinesiology, knows why the draw is so strong for this training.
鈥淜inesiology is such a hot major right now,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e getting all sorts of students here interested in a wide variety of disciplines within the sports sciences. Kinesiology is a big umbrella that covers so many jobs that are high paying and high demand, and so important when we consider the overall health of people in the United States.鈥�
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, athletic trainer jobs are expected to grow by a healthy 14 percent over the next decade.
Chikakane had earned enough experience after two years as a sports and health major at Hosei University in Tokyo to work as an athletic trainer in Japan. She came to the U.S. to perfect her English, and to earn U.S. certification as an athletic trainer.
But she didn鈥檛 just throw a dart at a map to find Merced. Since 1998, roughly 1,000 Japanese nationals have matriculated to 吃瓜头条.
International Student Support Coordinator Mayumi Wood said the numbers vary, but she estimates at least five Japanese students come to 吃瓜头条 specifically to study and work in the athletic training facility each year.
鈥淥ur kinesiology program is the building block that exposes our students to a variety of career pathways,鈥� said Professor Scott McCall, who also coaches men鈥檚 water polo and swimming. 鈥淲e have so many strong faculty that have not just a strong background in kinesiology, but a breadth of experience in the field it encompasses.鈥�
McCall teaches Kinesiology 1, which introduces students to an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human movement. In the class, McCall reviews the sub-disciplines of kinesiology and the wide variety of career opportunities you can pursue with that degree, from coaching and fitness training to sports rehabilitation and physical therapy, and beyond.
There are specific pathways at 吃瓜头条 under the kinesiology umbrella. For example, the Physical Education associate degree is a great start towards becoming a P.E. teacher or coach. There鈥檚 a two-year personal training pathway for those who want to train people in gyms.
Students who receive the Kinesiology AA-T degree want to work with patients. If they secure the Athletic Training certificate, they鈥檙e also set to work every day with Blue Devil athletes in the college鈥檚 Athletic Training Facility.
鈥淲e have fantastic students,鈥� said Scott Lemberger, a health instructor who is one of two full-time athletic trainers at the college. 鈥淲hether they鈥檙e here for a short time or a long time, they鈥檙e all eventually successful.鈥�
Chikakane could have found similar offerings at other universities in Japan. But she would have had to wait to work with athletes.
鈥淚 like all of the jobs in athletic training,鈥� she said after returning from a recent football practice. 鈥淏ut communicating with athletes is the best job I get to do.鈥�
There are four semesters鈥� worth of skills relating to taping body parts, learning rehab techniques, etc., that student trainers like Chikakane learn at the facility. Under the supervision of Lemberger and Sierra Williams, the Blue Devils鈥� other certified athletic trainer, students help athletes rehab from injuries, including testing their progress, and also study hydration practices.
鈥淭his is a chance for students to actually interact with our athletes to prevent and rehab injuries with actual hands-on experiences,鈥� Lemberger said. 鈥淚f they had gone directly to a university, they may not have a chance to touch an athlete until they were juniors or seniors.鈥�
Chikakane is hoping to earn her AA-T in Kinesiology after just three semesters and transfer to Fresno State in the spring. She will pursue her bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees, and eventually a Doctor of Physical Therapy or medical degree.
鈥淭here are so many athletes and so many teams here鈥攕o many universities, and professional and amateur sports,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 probably won鈥檛 go back to Japan. There are so many jobs here. The sports market is so much bigger than in Japan.鈥�