When Emerson student-athletes told the College they wanted more space to recover, treat injuries, and take care of their bodies, the College listened.
This fall, Emerson Athletics has expanded its athletic training and recovery spaces, converting a basement room in Piano Row into a new athletic training space. The renovation gives athletic trainers more room to work with student-athletes simultaneously, adds treatment space and equipment, and creates greater flexibility for rehabilitation and recovery.
The expansion grew directly out of conversations between student-athletes, including members of the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), and administrative leaders.
“The new athletic training room will provide student-athletes with an accessible and functional space to receive treatment, recover, and take care of our bodies,” said Kaylin O’Meara ’27, SAAC president, who plays for the women’s soccer and basketball teams. “I hope having a welcoming, well-equipped space will encourage more athletes to prioritize their health and seek treatment when they need it.”
For tennis player Finn Leeves-Coben ’27, the need became apparent during his sophomore year after he suffered a back injury during the preseason.
“The trainer I was working with at the time was doing everything she could to help me recover, but it became clear to me that she was not being provided adequate space, time or equipment to properly help me,” Leeves-Coben said.
The experience stayed with him. After he was elected SAAC vice president the following year, he and O’Meara made improving athletic training space one of their goals. They gathered feedback and data from student-athletes and athletic trainers and brought their findings to the administration.
“They green lit it,” Leeves-Coben said.
The result is a new space located on Level 1 of Piano Row, in the back of Emerson’s Fitness Center. There is also an athletic training room on Level 3 as a dedicated recovery space, where student-athletes can access ice and other recovery resources. Together, the spaces give Athletics more options for supporting student-athletes while making better use of the limited space available on an urban campus.
“It shows good collaboration with students willing to listen to their feedback,” said Kristin McKenney, head athletic trainer. “Emerson can be a tough place with space limitations. Getting to maximize space will benefit students.”
More Room to Treat, Rehab, and Recover
The additional space addresses a practical challenge that athletic trainers face every day.
The athletic training room can become crowded, limiting how many student-athletes could receive hands-on treatment or rehabilitation at the same time. The new space includes additional treatment tables and gives trainers more room to work with students while others complete exercises independently.
“It gives us a lot of ability to help students with injuries,” McKenney said. “More space means we can see more people, do more things, and utilize new equipment.”
The increased capacity is especially valuable for a department serving approximately 250 student-athletes with three athletic trainers. On a typical day, each trainer may see around eight students with scheduled appointments, in addition to walk-ins, with the number varying depending on the needs of the teams.
“Potentially, we’ve doubled our capacity,” McKenney said.
The new space also allows student-athletes to make greater use of recovery equipment, including compression boots, which use air compression to support recovery after physical activity. Other equipment and resources include foam rollers, stretching space, ice, and a Game Ready system that combines ice water and compression. Some equipment requires assistance from an athletic trainer, while student-athletes can use other recovery resources independently.
That independent access is particularly important for students whose schedules don’t always line up with the hours of the athletic training staff.
Teams can return to campus late after practices or games—sometimes after 10 p.m.—and having recovery equipment available gives student-athletes another way to take care of themselves after hours.
A Student-Led Change
For Athletics Director and Associate Dean for Campus Life Steph Smyrl, the project represents more than a physical renovation. It demonstrates what can happen when student-athletes have a voice in shaping their experience.
SAAC includes approximately 30 student-athletes, with two representatives from each of Emerson’s teams. The students are selected by their coaches and serve as advocates for their teams and the broader student-athlete community.
Smyrl said she has been impressed by the way Emerson’s student-athletes approach those conversations.
“I feel very lucky with our student-athletes,” she said. “They are extremely bright, very intentional with their asks, and more often than not, coming up with a solution.”