Behind the Scenes with Tracy McCallister

ATHENS, W.Va. - During the course of the fall semester, the Concord University Sports Information Department will be profiling each member of the Concord Athletics Staff in a Behind the Scenes series. 

One of the longer-tenured members of the athletic department, Tracy McCallister, is next. She's in her 13^th year at CU.

Name: Tracy McCallister
Position: Health Services Program Manager
College Alma Mater: Concord (Bachelor's, '02), Indiana State (Master's, '03) Medical Massage Degree- Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga ('07)
 
What made you decide to get into sports medicine?
I wanted to work with an active population to help them achieve their goals in regards to health and fitness

How did you land at Concord? 
Athletic Training is a job that most of the individuals in this field take their jobs and responsibilities very personally, so when we have spent a decent amount of time at an institution we want to make sure we leave it in the hands of someone else who we know will continue to improve upon what we have built or established with the coaches and athletes. I was actually contacted by the former Concord Head Athletic Trainer, Jake Ryan, when he decided to pursue another position asking if I would consider applying for the position he would be vacating.

What's your most memorable moment as a coach either at Concord or another coaching stop?
Honestly there are too many to single out just one, but it tends to be the little things that stand out in your mind.  Our coaches do a great job of not just recruiting athletic individuals, but individuals that are just good people.  My memories surround how much our athletes and coaches are willing to offer help with small tasks to make our jobs easier.  It makes a high stress, high burnout profession more enjoyable.

What's the most rewarding part of your job? 
Watching student athletes obtain the goals they have set for themselves.

Tell us where you're from and little bit about the area you grew up in.
I am from Beckley, West Virginia.  Beckley was a great place to grow up, there was a lot of pride in sports programs most notably for me, Woodrow Wilson Boys' Basketball under the direction of Dave Barksdale. 

Favorite vacation spot?
Anywhere with a beach and a book.

Best local restaurant to eat at?
That is a hard one. I typically don't eat out very often, but I would probably go with Brandon's Barbeque. 

What's the biggest attribute you look for in an athlete?
From the sports medicine standpoint, I want to work with athletes that are resilient, put the good of their team as a whole above their individual statistics, and have both optimistic and realistic perspective on their circumstances.

What makes Concord special or what's your favorite thing about campus?
The people that I work with without a doubt.

What advice would you go back and give yourself if you were 20-years old again?
I would tell myself to always look at situations from the perspective of everyone involved, and to learn to be an active listener.  So many troubles arise from simple misinterpretations or miscommunications, so when you take the time to understand as much as you can about any given situation and the people involved, you can usually find an easy solution.

Favorite TV show unrelated to sports?
Typically prefer books over TV, but do like the Chicago series (Fire, PD, Med)

What's one bucket list item you have yet to accomplish?
Again, hard question to narrow down to just one.  International travel, yoga at Red Rocks in Colorado, sky diving, learn to play guitar, and goat yoga to name a few.