Kevin Arizo talks Timbers, training and sleep

Story and photo by Elizabeth Kessel

Kevin Arizo has been at Clackamas Community College for 10 years now as the athletic trainer. He works with every sports team at the college and helps students with their injuries, rehabs and getting ready for practices.

The Clackamas Print: When and why did you decide to become an athletic trainer?

KA: Initially, it was in high school. I played soccer and I hurt myself so I worked with my athletic trainer. I did my rehab with him, then through my rehab, I just realized from there and decided that I kind of liked it. I worked with him after I had finished and went to college thinking that I was going to be in physical therapy and after college I realized that I wanted to do this.

TCP: What’s the most interesting thing to you about sports medicine?

KA: The varieties of injuries, variety of personalities. Being at a community college, it’s usually a two-year turn around, so there’s constantly new people, constantly new injuries, new histories of knowing these students.

TCP: Prior to working at CCC, what else is your sports background?

KA: I grew up playing soccer, went to college to play soccer. I worked with the Timbers a little bit. So soccer’s my big thing. I still play soccer, but now that I’m older, it’s running. I try to stay active. You know obviously I like Oregon, so
I like hiking.

TCP: What was it like working with the Timbers?

KA: Different. Obviously, professional level is a little different than, at the time I was working at Lake Oswego High School so I think the biggest thing is that it’s a professional team so it’s like a business. You have to be able to perform, versus the thing I like about here: is it’s okay if athletes take breaks.

TCP: Any advice for students or athletes here at CCC?

KA: I think the biggest thing is taking care of their bodies. Anywhere from eating healthy, getting sleep. A lot of athletes and students don’t think that sleeping is going to help that injury and rehab process and healing process, but that’s just as important as being healthy, which is very important as well. I think for a lot of athletes, it’s just knowing if something’s bad enough to take care of or if it’s a ‘Hey I can keep pushing through it. I think especially when you’re younger, you think you’re Superman and that you kinda keep going and keep going, so I think a lot of times it’s knowing ‘Hey I can keep going but I can still do something to take care of this.’ Now there’s a big push for being healthy, which is great, a lot more people working out but just not athletes and a lot more people are aware of diets and aware of different foods and chemicals in foods and what’s good and what’s bad.

TCP: Do you have any memorable moments over the past years?

KA: There’s, I don’t know if you know him, Richard Jensen. He was one of the older wrestlers. He still comes by and to wrestling tournaments, so I still see him. He’s one of those inspirational stories that you’ll always remember. But championships, those are always memorable, but every so often some kid will walk in and say hi and a softball girl came by and she was two or three years out and she just came out to say hi. I work a lot more on a personal level with them because I get to see them every day and sometimes I get to see them at their worst, which isn’t always good, but I build that relationship with some of the kids.