We often wonder how big collegiate programs thrive for long periods of time. Well, for a structure to hold, it takes a firm foundation. The FGCU basketball program has grown expeditiously within the past few years. FGCU has even contested major Atlantic Coast Conference programs, such as Florida State, and made runs in the NCAA tournament. This recent success should go not only to the players and coaches but also to the medical staff as well. These really are the true unsung heroes.
Just recently, the FGCU women’s basketball team was able to see the return of one of its stars, Whitney Knight, after a foot injury kept her on the bench for several weeks. Major thanks should go out to the medical staff. Specifically, trainers such as Alyssa Romasco have helped bolster the basketball program.
Romasco is from Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania and is a member of the esteemed Nation Athletic Training Association. She has been at FGCU for three years as the assistant athletic trainer for the women’s basketball team.
“I love athletic training,” Romasco said. “The opportunity to do what I enjoy every day and be a part of a successful, disciplined and energetic team is exciting. In addition, I love visiting new places, so the opportunity to travel around the country with a fun group of people is a bonus.” She feels “the passion and drive to be successful both on and off the court is what unites the team.”
She feels the players see her as a respected staff member and mentor, as she does more than tape up the women. Romasco has an open ear for all the girls. It does the player a great deal when they have someone to talk to about whatever stress they may be going up against.
All in all, Alyssa Romasco has been a crucial component in this program’s recent success, especially in its recent run in the NCAA tournament. Romasco is the current athletic trainer for the women’s basketball team and the men’s and women’s tennis teams. She studied and obtained her bachelor’s degree in exercise science and physical education at McDaniel College. Romasco also has some experience as an athletic scholar.
She was a member of the McDaniel College swim team for her four years there. She also minored in sports coaching and athletic training. She went on to further her education by receiving her master’s in athletic training at the University of Arkansas — one of the big rivals for the FGCU women’s program. Her expertise goes even further than the hands-on experience with athletes. Romasco has worked on focused projects on the identification of things such as scapular dyskinesis, the alteration of the positioning of the scapula during shoulder movement, in athletic training programs.
She has also presented research nationally at the American College of Sports Medicine and internationally at the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association Conference. FGCU programs can thank more than their coaches and players for their success; it’s people like Romasco that get star athletes back on the court and healthy.