March 19, 2007

By Justin Whelan

ATHENS, Ohio - Jill DeArmond's fall schedule was hectic.

She began her day with an athletic training class at 7 a.m. From there, she attended her normal classes until 11 a.m., and then reported for volleyball practice.

After volleyball, she took a break for lunch, and then she went to the ice rink to serve as a trainer for hockey practice. Mixing in an afternoon class and a lab in the late afternoon, DeArmond would finish her day at 7 p.m.

This 12-hour day was stressful, but it was something she chose to do.

DeArmond, a sophomore, came to Ohio University knowing two things: She wanted to play volleyball, and she wanted to work to become a physical therapist.

Most people would call this a crossroad, and they more than likely would have picked one or the other. But DeArmond chose to do both, in what she calls "a unique way to go through undergrad school."

The result has left her with a busy life, but it has also given her wisdom that improves her athletic status and even rubs off on her teammates.

"She leads by example," said Whitney Maiden, a teammate and DeArmond's roommate.

Last spring, Ohio's volleyball team set out for a tournament that didn't have an athletic trainer on site. Because the team's trainer doesn't travel in the spring, DeArmond became an on-the-spot aide, taping ankles and helping her teammates get prepared.

"It's always interesting when I see injuries in volleyball - especially when it's actually my teammates - and I kind of know what's going on with them," she said. "I'm learning what their injury is in all my classes, so it's definitely really interesting."

Her dedication goes beyond the classroom and practice, though. Maiden said she has served as a practice ankle for DeArmond to tape on countless occasions in their dorm.

"She was really good, probably because she practiced in our room all the time," Maiden said.

Maiden also said that rooming with DeArmond has helped her place importance on her own physical condition.

"If something's hurting, and I really don't think it's a big deal and I don't go to our trainer about it, she'll ask if she can evaluate me later," Maiden said.

As a freshman, DeArmond began her athletic training classes, was accepted into the athletic training program in Spring Quarter and became a trainer for the hockey team in the fall - the same season volleyball competes.

"Her schedule was pretty hectic," Maiden said. "She was busy all the time and she really didn't get much free time. The thing about Jill though is that she's very organized. If anybody could do it, it'd be her."

DeArmond did it, and she got the hands-on experience she needed, all while being a vocal leader on the volleyball team.

Next year, she hopes to go from being a vocal leader on the sideline to leading on the court, as she will be the key setter for the volleyball team.

The dual demands are becoming so demanding, though, that DeArmond has chosen to step away from training and move into exercise physiology.

"Athletic training has a major advantage in that you get to work with people and get a lot of clinical hours," she said. "I would love to continue if I wasn't an athlete."

Moving to exercise physiology will allow her to maintain a high grade point average, get in the hours needed and excel on the volleyball court - all while working toward becoming a physical therapist.

It will also free some time in that busy schedule so DeArmond can enjoy her undergraduate years.