U of A Alumna Helps Revive Fallen Basketball Player

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Katie Susskind

Entering into a new career is scary for anyone; you pray and hope your studying and training have paid off enough so you are prepared when problems arise. For one University of Arkansas graduate, this happened sooner rather than later and in the most dramatic fashion.

Katie Susskind is the assistant athletic trainer for the men's basketball team at the University of California at Santa Barbara. In late December, she was at the University of Oregon with the team at a routine practice for a game against the Ducks the following night. Everything was going normally until one member of the team collapsed suddenly. Susskind said at first it seemed the student had just tripped and fell, but when he did not move, it was quickly evident something far worse was happening.

"I ran over to him and his eyes were wide open, but he was not responsive at all," Susskind said. "I had a coach call 911 and grabbed the AED and immediately started trying to revive him."

Susskind graduated from the U of A in 2012 with a master's degree in athletic training, making her fairly new to the professional world. This experience was the first time Susskind had had to deal with something like this. She credits her training for giving her the ability to react quickly and efficiently.

"You never want this to happen, but if it does it's a good testament to your training and your ability to handle emergency situations," Susskind said.

Susskind says she has dealt with musculoskeletal injuries and other obvious physical wounds, but this incident was completely different. It is a lot harder to prepare for cardiac arrests than anything else.

 "You can train for these for hours on end, but you never really know how you'll react until it actually happens," Susskind said. "You can't simulate a life or death injury, and the fact that I was able to do everything correctly is very humbling, but also very reassuring."

The student recovered at an Oregon hospital and Susskind says that, while it was a tragic event, professionally she is grateful for the experience because it has changed the way she practices as an athletic trainer now. She credits the University of Oregon for having a top-notch facility and making the instruments necessary to perform her job readily available. However, she now makes sure she knows where the defibrillator is located at any facility the team travels to.

"I really try to be aware of not cutting corners now," Susskind said. "Experiences like this teach you that you train for a reason and you practice for a reason."