Novi — Bob Ogar has enjoyed the summer, using it, he says, to “re-energize” himself for the upcoming high school football season that officially kicks off Aug. 11.
Right from the start of his 14th year as the athletic trainer at Detroit Catholic Central, Ogar will need all of that pent-up energy, and more, between now and Thanksgiving weekend (when the Shamrocks are usually playing for the state title, as they have in four of the past five years) to tend to the myriad duties his job entails.
“I don’t expect to have one day off,” says Ogar. “I’ll be there from early morning until late at night.”
Ogar is pretty typical of his peers across the state, putting the definition of an athletic trainer’s responsibilities — the prevention, care and rehabilitation of injuries — into practice.
When athletic director Aaron Babicz estimates that about 700 to 750 of CC’s 1,100 student population participates in one or more of the school’s 14 sports on either a varsity or junior varsity level, it gives you a notion of the scope of what Ogar has to handle.
“Bob loves what he does,” Babicz says. “He keeps detailed records, visits injured athletes when they are hospitalized, gives personal attention to the families. I regard him as the godfather of athletic trainers.”
Ogar, 59, lives in Sterling Heights with his 88-year-old mother in the same house in which he was reared. Born with a learning disability and hard of hearing, Ogar spent his primary school years in special education. He has 80 percent hearing in one ear, 50 percent in the other, but you’d never know it. “I learned how to read lips,” he says.
After graduation in 1973 from Sterling Heights Stevenson, where he played football, basketball and baseball, he went on to Wayne State University for his bachelor’s degree in physical education, a master’s while serving as a graduate assistant trainer on the staff of Michigan State basketball coach Judd Heathcote, and certification by the National Athletic Trainers Society.
His resume before coming to CC in 2002 includes two years as trainer for the Detroit Express pro soccer team, a year (1983) as trainer for legendary coach Al Fracassa at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, and from 1987-2002, trainer for Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Schools.
In 2002, he was hailed as “Athletic Trainer of the Year” by the Michigan Athletic Trainers Association.
“People think I am employed by CC, but I am contracted through Plymouth Physical Therapy Specialists,” he said. Ogar selected Catholic Central “for its prestige, the school spirit, the different atmosphere there.”
One of his important duties at the beginning of fall, winter and spring sports seasons is the administration of mandatory computerized concussion tests to athletes, particularly those involved in contact sports such as football, soccer, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse and hockey.
The test creates a base line that can be used by physicians to determine whether an athlete is suffering from a concussion and its severity. By rules of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, only a physician can release a player back to active status.
Another vital responsibility, in addition to being available during the week at practices, is being present on the sideline of the contact sports, home and away. When schedules conflict, he has a full-time student intern available through arrangement with Eastern Michigan to cover the contest.
The Shamrocks begin competition Aug. 23, when the cross country team runs at the Lansing Catholic Central invitational, and, the same day, the soccer team plays in the Balconi invitational in Canton. There are a total of 11 varsity, JV and freshmen games in seven days, concluding with the football team traveling to Muskegon Aug. 29.
“I spend a humongous amount of time, above and beyond, what is expected,” Ogar says. “I don’t have a family or kids, or even a dog, so I can do this. I like what I am doing.”
Take comfort. The Godfather is on hand watching over the welfare of his boys.
Don Horkey is a freelance writer. He may be reached at [email protected].
