From Gibson Southern student to employee, athletic trainer Jenna Sparks grew up in Haubstadt and graduated in 2016. She is soon to welcome a new addition to her small family, currently consisting of her husband, their one-year-old daughter and her. Sparks became Gibson Southern’s new athletic trainer this past June.
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Southerner: What does your job look like on a day-to-day basis?
Sparks: “Usually, I get in around the afternoon, and then I see a lot of students right after school. Sometimes, I see a few during the day. Then, I’m at all practices and games. I travel to all the football games with the varsity team, but I’m here for all the home games. Pretty much my job is to see all injuries, anything that happens on the sidelines or anything that happens outside of that.”
Southerner: Where have you lived prior, or where do you originate from?
Sparks: “I actually grew up here. I grew up in Haubstadt, and I went to Gibson Southern, graduated in 2016, and then my husband and I went to college; he went to Rose-Hulman, and I went to UE. Then, we got married in 2020 and moved to Indianapolis, and then to Franklin, Indiana, and that’s where we have been for the last five years. We decided to move home when the position opened.”
Southerner: Do you enjoy Marvel or DC?
Sparks: “I’m only going to say Marvel because my sister-in-law loves Marvel. I’m not really one way or the other.”
Southerner: What about your high school years would you like to relive?
Sparks: “Yeah, I’d say so. I mean, that’s where I met my husband, and I love the atmosphere of just sporting events. We had a state run for soccer my sophomore year, which was really cool. We did not win, but it was a great time.”
Southerner: Do you have any secret talents?
Sparks: “I can put my tongue to my nose. That’s all I got. I can’t yodel or anything.”
Southerner: Do you prefer sweet, spicy or salty foods?
Sparks: “Depends. I’m pregnant right now but usually sweet, anything chocolate.”
Southerner: What do you enjoy the most about working here?
Sparks: “Probably the people, yeah, I don’t know, I mean, there’s definitely good and bad. All-in-all, I think my favorite part is getting to see athletes going from start to finish, going from injury to back on the field.”
Southerner: What was your first job?
Sparks: “As an athletic trainer, the first job was at IU Health and Riley Hospital in Indianapolis. I worked as a position extender there with a couple of positions, and that was for about three years.”
Southerner: What would you do with an extra $1,000?
Sparks: “I think I’d go treat myself to a massage, maybe get my nails done and take a little weekend vacation.”
Southerner: Do you enjoy traveling?
Sparks: “I do, and my husband and I really like going out West, like Colorado. We really like national parks. It’s kind of one of our goals to hit all the national parks eventually.”
Southerner: If you were a color, what color do you think would you be?
Sparks: “Okay, so this is like becoming my favorite color. I’d either be turquoise or yellow. I feel like those are bright colors, and that’s what I try to be.”
Southerner: What is your favorite animal?
Sparks: “My favorite animal is probably a dog.”
