Every day while athletes are out practicing, a red haired woman can be seen prowling the fields. She is no rabid spectator mom, but the school’s new athletic trainer.

MG Pogue spends her time in the athletic training room tending to hurt athletes, helping them rehabilitate and return to playing their sport and teaching them how to prevent those injuries in the first place.

A motorcycle-riding mother of two, Pogue is currently completing her master’s degree in athletic training at San Jose State University (SJSU). As a requirement for the program, students receive credit for working as athletic trainers at schools. With one year left to graduate, Pogue transferred to the school after working as the SJSU athletic trainer and has quickly adapted to the new environment.

“There’s never a dull moment [at LAHS],” Pogue said. “It’s fast-paced, nonstop, interesting and challenging.”

Pogue took an interest in athletic training after taking an exercise physiology course at Foothill College with her daughter. During the course, Pogue found that she “wondered why [people] were getting hurt” and found athletic training as an answer.

“I wanted to learn how to prevent [an injury] and fix it,” Pogue said. “It’s like a puzzle to know how to get the right evaluation.”

Pogue is serious when she says she is “willing to use whatever works” when it comes to helping athletes, bringing her own tools from home and improvising when needed.
“She’s resourceful and even made a cast for me,” sophomore Bobby Andris said. “MG is amazing.”

Pogue has also added her own personal touch to the training room, including comics and a list of ‘rules’ on the door, bobble heads, a five-dollar bookcase filled with medical books, pictures, plush microbes and other knick-knacks scattered throughout the room.
Despite only being at the school for only a short while, Pogue has already made a big impact on student-athletes.

“She’s very fun to be around.” freshman Matt Marent said. “She’s a good trainer. She knows how to fix you up when you’re broken.”

Pogue also did improv for five years at the Bay Area Theater Sports (BATS), is a registered yoga therapist, a certified Emergency Medical technician (EMT-B) and has been on ESPN twice while watching over SJSU athletes.

Pogue has enjoyed her time at the school thus far and looks forward to becoming acquainted with the students.

“I’m glad I’m here, I’m loving the new experiences,” Pogue said. “I love the kids and the diversity of the different sports. I’m challenged every day.”