Volleyball Recognizes Athletic Trainer Allegra Lucia

As National Athletic Training Month winds down, the University of Louisville volleyball team salutes their trainer, Allegra Lucia, for her hard work and dedication that helped the Cardinals be prepared for their historic Elite Eight Run in the 2019 season.

Background:
Allegra Lucia joined the University of Louisville's sports medicine staff in 2013. Since arriving at Louisville, Lucia, a certified athletic trainer, has overseen the medical coverage and treatment for the nationally ranked volleyball and women's basketball teams at UofL. During her stint as a Cardinal, her teams have never missed earning an NCAA berth. She implements screening for risk stratification and corrective exercise sequencing and develops return to performance models for the Cardinal athletes.

Lucia is a 2007 graduate of Iowa State, where she earned a bachelor of science in health and human performance and served as a student athletic trainer all four years. She is a 2009 graduate of East Carolina, where she earned her master's degree in exercise and sport science. She was a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the ECU Pirates each of her two years there.Lucia spent a year as an intern athletic trainer at Virginia Commonwealth before heading to Butler University where she spent three and a half years serving as an assistant athletic trainer for men's soccer and softball.

A Chicago, Ill., native, Lucia has been an NATABOC certified athletic trainer (ATC) since 2007. She maintains licensure through the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure as well as having certifications in Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) Level 1, and Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (SASTM) with Hawk grips. She also is certified in Y Balance to measure balance in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral to assess postural stability, Owens Recovery Science Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) as well as in American Heart Association CPR/AED. Lucia is a member of the Kentucky Athletic Trainers Society and the National Athletic Trainers Association.

Checking in with Allegra:

Q: What are you doing with yourself during your free time?
A: "I have been filling my time with extra-long walks with my dog, virtual professional development and continued education sessions and some home DIY."

Q: How are you continuing to treat or rehab players remotely?
A: "For my athletes who were in the middle of a major rehabilitation program I have set them up for physical therapy with a local provider since it was important for them to continue with someone who could provide the guidance and in person treatment. For my athletes who were doing prevention work with me I have created home programs for them to do with the resources they have available. I have also continued to share resources like free virtual yoga for recovery that should supplement the workouts they are doing from their performance coaches."

Q: Your impressions on the spring season up to this point?
A: "My impression of our team training so far this spring was that we were working hard and everyone was so invested in taking the next step. We have a tightly knit group who are truly committed to making both themselves and their teammates better. It has been so much fun to go in to the gym or the weight room each day and see them support each other and complement each other's individual achievements."

Q: What do you miss most about being on campus?
A: "The connection with the team. I enjoy getting to spend the time I do with my athletes and share in their lives both on and off the court".

Q: Have you been keeping in contact with the team through all of this and how?
A: "My athletes know that they can continue to communicate with me through all means of communication (phone, text, email) but I am specifically trying to connect with them individually via phone or FaceTime to keep in touch with them as individuals, not just as my athletes."

Q: What is your favorite memory of this season?
A: "My favorite memory of this season was upsetting Texas in the Elite Eight! There is no greater feeling than seeing a team come together, firing at their best on all aspects of their game to perform above expectations to do something truly magical."

Q: What have you binged watched, hobbies, or done in your free time since the quarantine?
A: "This may surprise many but I have not done much binge watching of shows, so far that is! I have taken the additional free time as a way to tackle much wanted "to do" list items in my home. I have tried to keep the television off while doing home projects or other work. We have talked about watching a full movie series in order with friends or family (maybe the Avengers series although I know some votes have come in for Star Wars in order.) I have been trying to read more as I have so many books that were waiting for me to pick them up so no better time like the present."

Q: What are your thoughts on spring season being canceled?
A: "Honestly, I was shocked when this happened. We have never been through anything so globally impactful before to have precedent on how to feel or how to act. It was shocking but I think that also think it was the appropriate course of events considering this unknown adversary and the impact it could have on the safety of all involved in the sports community."

Q: If you could say something to the basketball players/swimmers/indoor track athletes who do not get a senior season back and missed their championship what would it be?
A: "I feel for all our winter and spring athletes, coaches and support staff for missing out on the opportunity to compete. As someone who doesn't score the points but still gets to know they helped impact the team's success, I know the rush of the NCAA tournament and the excitement it brings. Please know that the impact you have made on this school and community, both on and off the court/field, has been felt over you career. That even though you did not get to achieve what you had hoped for during your senior year that your career has been important to us and we are grateful you will be a Cardinal Forever!"

Q: What would you say to the spring sports who lost a whole season?
A: "I can only imagine the emotions they are experiencing not getting to compete for most or all of their season. To the athletes who are returning, I encourage them to use this as motivation towards preparation for their next season. We do not know when it will be our last day to go out there and get better or to compete, so please don't take your opportunity to participate in collegiate sports for granted. Keep training! Keep preparing! Your time will come again and you will want to be ready."

Q: How have people in your family been directly affected by the virus?
A: "My family has been affected already in a few different ways. My sister is a registered nurse working in pediatrics so she is still going to work daily and picking up extra shifts to help the demand where she is living. I'm so proud of her and the whole medical community so far. My wife is also an athletic trainer in the collegiate setting so we are both tackling this new "Work from Home" role together. It has resulted in additional motivation for online continuing education since it is "work" we can do together. Additionally, another family member is in the high risk group (over 75 and immunocompromised) which means every day we hope that everyone is doing everything right so he can stay safe. We know we cannot visit him so we have participated in virtual movie and game nights to stay connected."

University of Louisville Athletics

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