Episode 38: Kelly Rhoades

John Twork 0:00
Hi! Welcome to Redbird Buzz. I'm John Twork from University Marketing and Communications. Our guest today is Kelly Rhoades, a major league assistant athletic trainer with the Detroit Tigers. This is Rhoades's first season with the Tigers after spending the past nine seasons with the Arizona Diamondback organization, where she held several roles, including serving as an athletic trainer with three minor league teams and most recently as medical coordinator. Rhoades is a 2014 graduate of Illinois State's athletic training program. And she's also earned a master's in athletic training from A. T. Still University of Health Sciences. When Rhoades was hired by the Diamondbacks in 2016, she became the first female athletic trainer in organization's history.
And it's my pleasure to welcome Kelly Rhoades to Redbird Buzz, live from Spring Training down in Florida in the Grapefruit League. Kelly, what's the word redbird? Tell us a little about yourself and your new role as a major league assistant athletic trainer with the Detroit Tigers.
Kelly Rhoades 1:22
Thanks for having me. Like you said, I'm Kelly Rhoades. Previously Kelly Boyce, I just got married in January. So, from Illinois State would know me as Kelly Boyce, still getting used to that new last name. But yeah, exciting time for me new husband, a new house, and a new job here with the Tigers. So just settling in, just finishing up my first spring training, and like you said, I spent my last nine seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. So, my husband and I will now split time between Arizona and Detroit.
John Twork 1:59
Now you're a 2014, alum of Illinois State University's athletic training program. Did you arrive at ISU as an athletic training major? And when and why did you decide that this was the career path that you wanted to pursue?
Kelly Rhoades 2:14
Yes, I did. I have always been the kind of personality to kind of set my sights on something and, and not really give up until I've accomplished it. So, I decided pretty early on in high school, that athletic training was something that I wanted to do. And I was introduced to it through gymnastics. So, I was a gymnast from about age four, or five until 18. And my gymnastics coach or head coach was also an athletic trainer. I was in a small program, we didn't have an official athletic trainer, but she would tape our ankles and give us rehab exercises on the side. And so, it really got me interested in the profession. And as I grew older, deciding what career path I wanted to take, sports had always been an incredible, huge part of my life. So, wanting to stay around that atmosphere. Again, fiercely competitive person, very determined to you know, whichever goal I have, in my mind at the time, I think is number one. And so, I love the competitive aspect of being with a team full time. And yeah, so came into the athletic training program at Illinois State with my sights set on that as a career. 
John Twork 3:30 
Tell me about your time at ISU, and how that experience at Illinois State prepare you for your athletic training career.
Kelly Rhoades 3:39
Yeah, my time at ISU was great. I have met so many friends and still talk to so many friends from the athletic training class and just loved this small feel. I think there are so many programs that have now, you know, we've now dwindled them down. And I know they've got a master's, entry-level master's program now. But at the time, it was an undergrad program, and it was so much fun. Our professors, I still keep in touch with multiple of them. Just really tight-knit group. And yeah, I couldn't say enough good things. 
John Twork  4:16
How did you end up at Illinois State? Are you from around the area? How did you end up in normal?
Kelly Rhoades 4:22
Yes, I didn't want to go too far from home. But it was just far enough. So, I'm from the Illinois Wisconsin border. I grew up in a rural town called Poplar Grove. Yeah, right on the Wisconsin border. So, it's about two hours from normal.
John Twork 4:38
And it all worked out. That's perfect. Before joining the Tigers organization last November, you spent nine seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Looking at your resume your progression through that organization reminds me of sort of like how a player moves up, you know starting out at Low-A and moving on up. How did you get connected with the Diamondbacks, can you kind of walk us through your various roles as you advanced in your career with the Diamondbacks?
Kelly Rhoades 5:07
Yeah, so I was introduced to… Well, I introduced myself to Ken Crenshaw, who is now the director of Sports Medicine performance for the Diamondbacks. At the time, he was the head athletic trainer. And he came to speak to us when I was in grad school at A.T. Still University. So, it was a grand round. So, it was a presentation, I just went up after and said, you know, I love what you what you spoke about, and really intriguing stuff, things that I had never learned about before. So, I was really interested to pick his brain and networked with him for about a year, prior to getting bold and asking if there were any internship opportunities. Along the way, he had invited me to multiple coaching seminars, and you know, things that really had nothing to do with athletic training, which I thought was funny, but I went every time and he'll tell me now that that just showed him my determination and how that I wanted to get better and learn from him. So, I owe a lot of where I'm at today to him and him giving me a chance. At first with the internship. I did an internship between my two years of grad school with the Diamondbacks. And then that following year was offered the rookie ball position. So that would have been 2016. And then in 2017, I moved to short-season Low-A, which again, baseball has changed a little bit that doesn't exist anymore but was a short-season team. They do an extended spring training, and then a shortened season for the younger players. And then the two following years, I was in the Midwest League. So back closer to home and Low-A. And that's Kane County, the Kane County cougars. So that was awesome being close to home. And then the following year was the year that everyone hates to talk about with COVID and everything. So, I was at the alternate site. So, we had just a small group of double A, triple A level players to fill in for the big league season. So, I worked with them. And the following year, man, this is a lot of years sorry. The following year, I was offered the assistant medical coordinator position, which was a huge jump. No longer was I a minor league athletic trainer. But I had some leadership responsibilities overseeing some of our younger staff, really focusing on staff development, and staying in Arizona to work with the longer-term rehab player. So that was a really good experience for me as well. When you're a minor league athletic trainer, you're dealing with mostly shorter-term injuries, your day-to-day, trying to get these going for the game tonight. Get the guys going for the game tonight. But in that coordinator role, you're dealing with the longer-term injuries and more of a rehab setting. So yeah, the next three years, I was at the complex, the previous sorry, the last two, I was the medical coordinator. So, overseeing all minor league athletic trainers. And again, a lot of staff development, a lot of communication with the front office regarding return-to-play timelines, and basically overseeing all medical care for the minor league player. So obviously, with a lot of help, was not done alone.
John Twork 8:49
I'm just impressed that you can remember that all and just rattle it off the top of your head. So many, if not at all. That's so impressive. And also, maybe even more impressive when you were hired by the Diamondbacks in 2016 you made history, becoming the first female athletic trainer in Diamondbacks franchise history. What did making history through that mean to you personally?
Kelly Rhoades 9:18
I've obviously been asked that question before and it's funny every time my answer shifts just a little bit, but I, I do I will tell you this is consistent is that I, I would never say that my goal was to be the first female anything. The job in general was already such an incredible accomplishment for me, that was a dream that, you know, I had had for the previous at least a year and a half to work under Ken Crenshaw and to work for the Diamondbacks and globally just to be in Major League Baseball. So that already was overwhelming. And then, you know, people wanted me to do interviews and things like that about being the first female. And I ended up actually denying a lot of interviews surrounding that topic because truthfully, I just wanted to be a part of the team. And I didn't necessarily want to stand out and put myself in the spotlight for any reason that that really I have no control over. So, I was incredibly grateful that my teammates were supportive of that. And, yeah, I have so many close, close friends from the Diamondbacks organization who supported hiring the first female and I took it in stride, and I never thought really about it again.
John Twork 10:41
During your 10 years as a professional baseball staffer, are more women breaking into the field now? Are you seeing any sort of trends like that?
Kelly Rhoades 10:49
Absolutely. Yeah. There are trends. A lot, a lot of organizations are, are thinking about that in their hiring process, which I think is great. Obviously, the representation globally, in the profession of athletic training, there are a lot of females. So in my opinion, it should be reflected at the highest levels. But yeah, I think I, you know, I talked about this recently on a different podcast, that the facilities are not always set up for us, right? And it traditionally was not the case. So, I think having the support of those around us and a lot of people thinking about, including females, and making the facilities a little more inclusive has been a huge push, and something that's definitely not going unnoticed.
John Twork  11:39 
You're certainly a role model. And do you have advice for perhaps girls or women who want to become athletic trainers in this still male-dominated field?
Kelly Rhoades 11:54
I would say there are more supporters than there are critics. Probably contrary to popular belief, I felt like when I set my sights on this, I heard a lot of well, you know, baseball doesn't hire women, just blanket statements like that. And now being in it as long as I have, I mean, it's 99 to one, the people that are so supportive of me, and females in general. So, I would say, if you cross that one critic, don't put too much weight on it. And my second piece of advice would just be to really, really think about professionalism and what that means to you because I do think that's important. In a male-dominated field, and traditionally a male, you know, dominated sport in general, I think it's important to make sure that you understand, professional and what professionalism what that means to you, where you draw boundaries, things like that.
John Twork 12:56
This is Redbird Buzz, and we're talking today with Kelly Rhoades, a major league assistant athletic trainer with the Detroit Tigers. So after nine seasons with the Diamondbacks, you decided last fall to make the move to Detroit to become a major league assistant athletic trainer. Kelly, this is essentially your call up to the big leagues. Can you tell me why you made the move? And what does it feel like as you embark on your first season with an MLB team?
Kelly Rhoades 13:23
Yeah, it's still a bit surreal. To be honest, I just finished my first spring training. I'm in a major league role, which is something that I've worked for the past 10 years. So obviously really exciting. I made the move. Not lightly. I loved the Diamondbacks, like I said, had an incredible time there. The head athletic trainer with the Detroit Tigers was actually a mentor to me at the Diamondback. So, he was a few years ahead of me in the minor leagues eventually became a coordinator. So was my supervisor for a time and then was in the major leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks as well before he took his head roll, which he's currently in for the Tigers. So, knowing him prior has been an incredible comfort as I transition, and knowing that I have his support and that we align on a lot of things that we want to create with this sports medicine team is really encouraging. And yeah, I think that was a lot of the poll. Not only just the job title because I think that means less to me, but the ability to work with somebody who I know I'm aligned with and hopefully create something really, really special and really unique and influence a team. Obviously, we have minor league athletic trainers that are looking up to us as well and being able to teach and all that so, yeah. 
John Twork  14:55 
As you look forward to your first big league season. What are some of the advantages and maybe extra challenges from your perspective working and traveling with a big league team versus a minor league team?
Kelly Rhoades 15:09
Yeah, you might have to ask me that at the end of this season. To be honest, I think there's probably a lot that I don't know yet. I was so lucky to have experience traveling with the Arizona Diamondbacks major league team. That was an experience afforded to us, as a coordinator, we would fill in on some trips where one of the assistant athletic trainers would stay back on a road trip, and we would get to go, so I definitely have you know, some experience in that realm. But with a new organization, and new team, I think there'll be a lot of new that that I just don't know are coming and really excited.
John Twork 15:46
Maybe some more flights, fewer bus trips.
Kelly Rhoades 15:52
That's a huge change. Yes, it's a that's no joke. It's a big-league lifestyle. We fly Charter, the Detroit Tigers own their own plane. And so we've been we've had sneak peeks of the new plane that they just bought, and it looks incredible. The logos in Boston, the side of the sea, it's just really cool. Yeah, really nice hotels. I mean, those are some of the perks for sure, but a lot, a lot of travel, and some sacrifices as well. 
John Twork 16:21
Are the injuries in the treatment course that you're providing, are any of those different at the big league level? Or is it pretty similar to what you would have seen, say at Kane County?
Kelly Rhoades 16:35
Well, I hope I'm better now than I was than I was in Kane County. But yeah, I think the treatments are pretty similar. I think that's part of our goal, at least myself and Ryan Eubanks, the head athletic trainer, our goal is to kind of standardize our thought processes and our treatment philosophies throughout the organization. So, I don't think that you can expect our rookie ball athletic trainer to be treating exactly like I am, but at the same time to have some similar philosophies and mentality around injuries, I think is really important. 
John Twork 17:11 
Now, as you mentioned, you're wrapping up spring training right now in Florida opening days right around the corner. Can you take us through the typical day in the life of a major league assistant athletic trainer?
Kelly Rhoades 17:24
Yeah, so spring training going to be definitely different than in season, takes you through an in-season day with a night game. Our schedules are built around game times, obviously, with baseball being a sport that you play almost every day with 162 games, so our schedule is built based on the game time that day. So, if it was a 6:05 Start Time, which is pretty common 6:05, 6:40, or 7:05 are common. We would likely get to the field at around 11 or 12. And first, you know, set up whatever we need for the day, make sure that us, the coaches, the dietician, everyone's on the same page as far as treatments for that day. And then players start coming an hour or two later. And then treatment starts and we're treating all the way really up until game time. You're treating the pitchers that through the night prior or two days prior. you're completing arm care with pitchers who threw bullpens that day, you're maintaining position players, making sure that they're ready to go for the game that night. You're stretching and you know treating the starting pitcher who's gonna pitch that night and then yeah, I'm gonna be in the dugout for the game. So game time rolls around. Training Room kind of slows down. We're in the dugout for the game, obviously on the field if anything happens, knock on wood, hopefully not. And then, yeah, postgame anything that happened during the game obviously needs to be addressed, and then send out an injury report, meet with the manager things like that. And then head home probably 11.
John Twork  19:14 
Wow. And do it all again the next day right? Wow, what makes it all worth it? That is that's incredible I mean, that is not a nine-to-five job by any means. But what makes it worth it to you?
Kelly Rhoades 19:27
Yeah, it's not a nine-to-five it half the time, I would say. Honestly, 90% of the time. It doesn't feel like work to me. It feels like a sport. To me. It feels like a challenge. It feels like puzzles all day long. I've got this person in front of me with an ache and pain and I have the challenge of making sure that I get them feeling as good as possible to go out and do things that I couldn't even fathom trying to attempt I'm so it's really cool. The highest level really is a different feel. It's just watching the game from the dugout is an incredible feel. Yeah, it's the camaraderie, and being a part of a team in there for the wins and losses, all of it. Yeah, I just love it.
John Twork  20:21
Can you talk a little bit I've been around college sports a little bit. And I've witnessed, you know, sort of this unique relationship that athletic trainers have with, in our case, student athletes, in your case, professional athletes. You know, as you mentioned, 162 games like you are seeing these players more than your family, they are sort of your family when you're on the road, can you just talk about sort of that unique opportunity to build connections with some of these outstanding athletes?
Kelly Rhoades 20:52
Definitely, it's really cool. Like you said, we spend a lot of time together. And honestly, when you're in the thick of it, you forget that these are athletes that people watch on TV because they really are just normal people, they'll come in, we'll be treating them and I'll ask about their, you know, three-year-old child or how their wife is doing. Oftentimes we meet their families, their children are in and out of the clubhouse. So, it's a really unique experience. And I probably take it for granted sometimes that I know some of these people that I know so many kids and even adults look up to you and watch on TV and are enamored. 
John Twork 21:35 
And you said that you're amazed by what they can do. I'm sure they're equally amazed by what you and your training staff can do to keep them healthy. So, it's sort of a two-way stinkers. 
Kelly Rhoades 21:45
I think they're definitely thankful for us. They utilize us definitely a ton. So, I think they're, they understand the importance. 
John Twork  21:56 
Tigers opened the 2024 season Thursday at the White Sox in Chicago. So that's cool. You get to be pretty close to home there. And then you'll travel to the New York Mets before the Tigers home opener on Friday, April 5 against the Oakland A's. From your perspective, what's special about opening day, it's one of, in my opinion, one of the best sporting days of the year. And is there anything that you're particularly looking forward to on this opening day, which will be your first working with the big-league team?
Kelly Rhoades 22:28
Yeah, like you said, we open in Chicago, which we always talk about the baseball gods and they aligned for me and I need I am close to family for opening day. So, I'll have a lot of my family there at the game, which I think will be the most special part. Again, we spent so much time away from our families and I moved to Arizona, you know 10 years ago. So, I see my family twice or three times a year. So, it will be really really neat to have that full circle moment where they get to see the day one of kind of me achieving my goal of making it to the major league so that's going to be really special. I keep joking that it's going to be really silly to have a fan section for an athletic trainer, but I think I have like 12 people coming to game one so that'll be really cool. Obviously, being in the dugout, I've been in a major league dugout before but again I was filling in and I think there will be a different feel knowing that that this is my job and I get to do that for a living and and get paid for it. 
John Twork  23:39 
That's so cool that you get to open in Chicago. Wow, that legs at the baseball gods were smiling. I found out recently that you're among more than 10 Illinois State College of Applied Science and Technology alumni who are working in professional baseball, as either athletic trainers. There are strength and conditioning coaches, physical therapists, massage therapists, and dietitians, and curious if you're in touch with any of those other Redbird alumni and if your pals ever happened to cross, when perhaps your team needs a team that they're working with?
Kelly Rhoades 24:18
Yeah, I do. I talk with Nick Fringilla. Every so often he is with the Cubs organization. Logan Severson was a year ahead of me. He's an athletic trainer for the Cubs organization. And then a really close friend of mine there were four of us that were inseparable in the athletic training program at ISU, his name's Eric Hrycko. He now is the medical coordinator for the Braves. So, we were joking the other day like who would have thought we would have been in these positions when we were you know at Milner pretending to study and you know, messing around and we had you know, 2 am and we had an ad on practical college things that I'm sure everybody does. But yeah, it's cool to look back and to have somebody like that now as a colleague.
John Twork  25:11
Yeah, the red birds are well represented in the big leagues. They're former Red Bird players in the big leagues. There are, as you mentioned, several athletic trainers, also some other front office staff, so really neat connections to Major League Baseball. And now that you've made it to the big leagues, like you've sort of hit the climax here of your career, right? Or where do you hope your career goes from here?
Kelly Rhoades 25:35
Yeah, I hope to stay in the game for a long time, I really enjoy it. I love the position I'm in currently, obviously, being my first year I've got this craving for more. So, I think continuing as an athletic trainer, for sure. And then eventually, I would like to be a head athletic trainer in the future. I think I have a lot to learn for that role. But I do think it's something that I'd like I'd like to do and then potentially eventually being a director of a sports medicine program. So there's really kind of two levels left on the ladder that I'm interested in both I don't know if you would have asked me a year ago if I was interested in the director role being off the field and a little bit more staff development but my experience as the coordinator really kind of started a fire in me really enjoying that part of the role so I can see myself doing that in the future as well. 
John Twork 26:39 
Well, Kelly, thank you so much for the time today. I know as you mentioned, you're the day in the life of an athletic trainer is an incredibly busy one. So, appreciate you carving out just a little bit of time for us. And best of luck this season. And especially enjoy an opening day in Chicago with your cheering section. And if any Redbird fans are at the Chicago White Sox against Detroit Tigers, opening day game, cheer a little louder for the Detroit Tigers athletic trainer. Kelly Rhoades. Kelly, thank you so much.
Kelly Rhoades 27:13
I appreciate that so much. Thanks for having me.
John Twork 27:22
That was Detroit Tigers Major League assistant athletic trainer Kelly Rhoades, a 2014 graduate of Illinois State University. Keep an eye out for Rhoades whenever the Tigers are playing with the season set to begin later this weekend in Chicago. Thanks for listening to Redbird Buzz and be sure to tune in next time for more stories from beyond the Quad.