TRAINING FOR THE SIDELINES : MOORPARK STUDENTS LEARN SPORTS MEDICINE.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

Sophomore Meghan Perez never thought a high school class would prepare her to handle a life-threatening predicament.

While studying sports medicine at Moorpark High, the teen and her classmates were taught how to assess injuries, perform CPR and apply first aid. As aspiring doctors and athletic trainers, they learned how to treat minor sports injuries inflicted upon ankles, shoulders, wrists and knees.

Months of intense study paid off last fall, when a handful of sports medicine students came across a car crash while traveling with the football team to CIF playoffs. After pulling over to help, they found one man in shock and another with severe head lacerations.

Looking back, Perez remembers switching mental gears into autopilot.

``I wasn't sure if I could apply myself,'' recalled Meghan, 15. ``But when I got there, I just did what I had to do.''

Within minutes of arriving at the scene, the teens assessed the situation and applied first aid. Perez compressed one man's wounds. Her classmate, Melissa Olson, controlled another man's bleeding.

Days later, the students were told that both men survived.

``Afterward, I thought about what we had done,'' said Olson, 17. ``I couldn't believe it.''

Though the incident was never a part of the class syllabus, teacher Jeanine Alexander said it gave her students a glimpse of how a career in medicine could unfold.

``It gave them a realistic understanding of what it's going to be like,'' said Alexander, a certified athletic trainer who teaches sports medicine and physical education. She taught sports medicine at Newbury Park High for five years before spearheading the program at Moorpark High last fall.

``Many students didn't know how difficult it would be. Taking the class helps them decide if this is really what they want to do.''

Sophomore Angela Nunez knew the class wouldn't be easy.

The college-level course requires intensive study of sports medicine and athletic training.

Students must develop their skills by spending at least 10 hours a week at team practices and games after school. They study endless pages of anatomy, physiology and medical terminology.

They must memorize minute facts, such as the difference between lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis - tennis elbow and Little League elbow.

But Nunez believes these challenges are necessary.

``The whole course is hard,'' the 15-year-old girl said. ``But it has to be hard. We're learning how to help people. It's not supposed to be easy.''

There are 19 students from 10th to 12th grades enrolled in the elective class. Though they share an interest in sports medicine, each teen in the all-female group signed up for different reasons.

Kathy Cera, 16, hopes to teach sports medicine someday. Sophomore Gina DeAngelo wants to be a nurse. Others aspire to become physical therapists or athletic trainers for professional teams.

Olson enrolled in the class because ``it looked fun.''

``It was something I thought I might want to do when I grow up,'' said Olson, who hopes to be an athletic trainer. ``I can help players - if they get hurt, I can take care of them.''

The hands-on aspect is what attracted Cera.

``In science class, you get to do labs,'' the junior said. ``In this class you're doing labs, but you're working with people.''

During football season, the teens help injured players by treating ankle sprains, bruises and other minor injuries that require ice or compression. During off season, they work with teams, including track and baseball.

Ron Wilford, Moorpark High's head varsity coach, said the sports medicine class is a big help to his team.

``They alleviate some of our duties because we can send a player over to someone who's familiar with athletic injuries,'' Wilford said. ``They take a lot of pressure off the coaches.''

Perez said the class has prepared her for emergency situations wherever she goes. Without it, Perez would have been a helpless spectator at the crash in the fall.

``I wouldn't have known first aid; I wouldn't have known what to do,'' she said. ``I don't think I would have had the guts to help.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Stacie Pamon tapes Joseph Malagon's shin at Moorpark High School before a baseball game.

(2) Kristine Hernandez reads her assignment for sports medicine class.

Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News