AIKEN, S.C. ()- Some Aiken County High Schools will soon be getting big upgrades. 

Aiken County School Board members have approved funding for 3 athletic trainers to work at Aiken, Silver Bluff, and Wagener-Salley High Schools.

School leaders say it’s part of the effort to ensure safety for all student athletes.

An athletic trainer is one of the most important people to keeping athletes healthy—but for schools like Silver Bluff, it’s a resource they haven’t always had access to.

“We’ve used several apps in order to get trainers, and sometimes we don’t get them,” said Phillip Strother, athletic director for Silver Bluff High School.

In the past, Aiken, Silver Bluff and Wagener-Salley have not had a permanent athletic trainer on-site.

The three schools have applied for athletic trainers on an as-needed-basis through a website.

“And as athletic trainers become available and want to work, they can work on an as-needed-basis. But of course, we want permanent trainers,” said Dr. Tim Yarborough, chief of operations and student services for the school district.

That’s why school leaders have allocated nearly $300,000 to bring 3 full-time trainers to the three schools.

Each trainer hired will be available for all sports. 

“They’re in the school, they develop relationships with the students and coaches, the rest of the staff. They will be our employees,” Yarborough added.

Aiken and Silver Bluff are also two of four schools in the district that recently saw construction of brand new artificial turf fields.

With athletic trainers on the way, leaders want to provide the best care and experience for athletes.

“That really motivates us to try to raise the bar and provide the best athletic facilities we possibly can, and our board and superintendent have really stepped up to the plate,” said Yarborough.

Strother says the future hires will be a big weight lifted off of his shoulders.

“Sometimes I’m putting things in thinking whether or not they will show up, waiting for somebody to apply, and if they don’t I’m worried. This takes a lot off of me, because I know now that our kids are going to have the best when it comes to making sure they’re safe and able to play,” Strother said.

School leaders say they are actively taking athletic trainer applications as we speak.

They want to bring the trainers on board as soon as possible, and potentially by the end of the football season.

“We are happy to accept young people that have just graduated or veterans—it doesn’t matter. As long as they are adequately qualified and fit our needs as far as their ability to assist our students,” Yarborough said.