It’s a scenario almost everyone can imagine, it happens in football stadiums across the country every Friday night. The clock ticks down in the third quarter while dust settles from the play. As the offense gathers along the line of scrimmage, the running back doesn’t stand up. The roar of the stadium quickly turns into silence, players begin to take a knee. An athletic trainer calls for the game to pause as he grabs his medical bag, rushing on the field to assist the player.
Athletes at Noblesville High School get their “doctor’s orders” from trainer Jeff (Doc) Franciosi. He is involved with sports medicine at Guerin Catholic High School and teaches at Noblesville High School. During his 39 years at NHS, Franciosi has developed bonds with thousands of athletes and students. And all those hours of work paid off this summer. In July of 2023, Franciosi was inducted into the Indiana Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame to honor all of the work he has put into the field of sports medicine.
“It’s something I’ve worked hard at my whole life,” Franciosi said, “and now to get recognized for that is very cool.”
Junior Gracie Kinnaman, a student in Francoisi’s Sports Medicine class, has a front row seat teaching methods that allow Franciosi to be honored.
“He tells us jokes to help us remember certain anatomical terms, and he ties what we learn to things we experience every day,” Kinnaman said
After graduating high school, Franciosi says that he wanted to keep sports in his daily life, while maintaining his interest in teaching others and helping students learn. Since anatomy was always a class that Franciosi loved, he began to consider a career in sports medicine.
“[Being an athletic trainer] was a good way to become a part of [sports] on the sidelines and still have a medical side to it,” Franciosi said.
With Franciosi’s help, many Miller athletes and student trainers have found the same connection with the medical aspect of sports. For senior Cassie Olges, taking sports medicine with Franciosi helped her determine her future career goals.
“I got to do hands-on activities that really made me dive deeper into my medical practice to see if being in physical therapy was truly what I wanted,” Olges said.
Franciosi says that the title of athletic trainer can often result in long hours and late nights on the field. Due to the growing popularity of high school sports, trainers can’t make every single game. Franciosi values the support and understanding he receives at home.
“My wife and family are very important to me,” Franciosi said. “I am very thankful that they understand the long hours the job requires.”An athletic trainer’s hours are often so intense because Franciosi and others in his role are the first people on the field when an athlete is injured. Due to this, he works with players who are in high levels of pain and experiencing intense emotions.
“We become a little bit of a sports psychologist and sympathize with what they’re going through,” Franciosi said.
Like Ogles, other students in Franciosi’s classes have taken inspiration from what he does, with some considering athletic training as a potential career path. In Sports Medicine, students are able to act as an athletic trainer through activities like taping injuries or performing examinations.
“He talks about the things he deals with on a daily basis, which helps get a good understanding of what you would be dealing with going into this profession,” Kinnaman said.
During his years at NHS, the students who work with Franciosi say he has been able to create a positive, professional environment. It’s one reason he picked up the nickname Doc from his students. Olges has noticed the traits that make his class so special.
“He is super fun, positive,” Olges said, “and makes true connections with his students.” said.
