Winter 2020–2021

Athletic Trainers Keep Student-Athletes on Track by Embracing Telehealth

Ally Kaden ’21
Listen

Ally Kaden ’21 was in a quandary. The women’s tennis player was back home in New Jersey, her season abruptly canceled, and now she was experiencing back pain. But, thanks to Babson’s entrepreneurial athletic training staff, Kaden was properly diagnosed and able to recuperate on her own, more than 250 miles from campus.

The pandemic not only canceled the spring sports season but also disrupted every aspect of student-athletes’ lives, including care from athletic trainers.

Director of Athletics Performance Rick Burr P’21 ’23 and his staff pivoted quickly to find a solution. Team physician Dr. Mininder Kocher from Boston Children’s Hospital’s Sports Medicine Division introduced the staff to telehealth, the virtual distribution of health-related services.

“We were just beginning to understand these platforms,” Burr said. “When we learned Babson was using Webex and found out how protected and secure it was, we started right away.”

Babson became one of the first colleges to begin using telehealth in its athletics department with the first consultations March 22.

On Kaden’s initial Webex call, she went through physical tests with an athletic trainer to pinpoint the pain in her back. The diagnosis was likely overuse, more specifically an issue in her hips that was causing stress on a muscle in her back. Kaden received a rehab routine, and weekly calls focused on her progress.

“It allowed me to connect with my athletic trainer and get me on track for the fall using guidelines I could apply at my own pace,” Kaden said.

Patrick Flynn ’21 (men’s ice hockey), Stephanie Mishler ’22 (women’s track & field), and Zach Roman ’22 (men’s alpine skiing) also were among the first student-athletes to take advantage of the new training technology.


For more news from Babson Athletics, visit babsonathletics.com.


“My apprehensions on telehealth were proved wrong,” Mishler said. “My injury was pinpointed during the call, and I was provided an appropriate recovery plan. It’s a simple way to give a student-athlete the assistance they need for an injury while physically away from school.”

Burr pointed to other telehealth uses, including consultations for medical visits, connections with first-year students before they arrive on campus, communication with student-athletes during breaks, and advising students who need to be seen immediately.

“Telehealth is something we’re going to use moving forward,” Burr said. “It’s a drastic change in how we’ve operated in the past, but in many cases a great way to remain connected with our student-athletes.”

Posted in Community

More from Babson Magazine »

Latest Stories

A clear tip jar with cash sits on a counter
What Ending Taxes on Tips Could Mean for Workers and Tippers Babson thought leaders on tax policy explain how a federal proposal that includes eliminating taxes on tips might reshape the tipping economy.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
July 1, 2025

Posted in Insights

Members of the Babson community behind a Pride banner at the parade
Passion and Pride: How the Office of Belonging and Inclusion Supports the LGBTQ+ Community Babson’s participation in the Boston Pride Parade caps a busy and productive year of support for the LGBTQ+ community by the Office of Belonging and Inclusion, as it advances the College’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
June 27, 2025

Posted in Community

Two people sit next to each other in a classroom
As Workforce Needs Evolve, Babson Expands Its Commitment to Professional and Executive Education To better support organizations and professionals in rapidly changing times, Babson launches an expanded Professional and Executive Education portfolio, offering courses that are online, flexible, and urgently needed, while investing in a new lodging and conference center on campus.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
June 23, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership