Dr. Kirk Brumels, who is a professor of kinesiology and chairperson of the department as well as a member of the athletic training staff at Hope College, is among the authors who contributed chapters to the book “Workplace Concepts for Athletic Trainers.”
The book addresses common concepts and issues that occur in the workplace for athletic trainers, and is designed for athletic training students transitioning into a clinical practice or clinicians seeking help. It has been published by SLACK Incorporated of Thorofare, New Jersey, and was edited by Dr. Stephanie M. Mazerolle and Dr. William A. Pitney.
“Workplace Concepts for Athletic Trainers” is divided into three sections: “An Overview of the Athletic Training Workplace,” “Workplace Issues and Concepts,” and “Personal Skills to Foster Success and Commitment in the Workplace.” Each chapter begins with learning objectives and includes a discussion of the issue itself, how it manifests, and strategies and solutions to address the concern.
Brumels’s chapter, “Role Complexities in the Workplace,” discusses role theory relating to how athletic trainers exist and behave in the roles they fulfill within their workplace. It involves descriptions of the multiple difficulties that individuals may encounter in performing their expected roles according to established norms, and provides suggestions for creating productive and engaging work environments.
Brumels, who is a licensed Michigan athletic trainer as well as a certified NATA member, has been an athletic training professional for more than a quarter century and a member of the Hope faculty since 2001. He has chaired the college’s Department of Kinesiology since 2014, and previously served as program director of athletic training education and as head athletic trainer at Hope.
In addition to teaching, he conducts research in athletic training, including collaboratively with students at the college. His other publications include co-authoring the fourth edition of the textbook “Developing Clinical Proficiency in Athletic Training: A Modular Approach” and co-authoring nine chapters in the textbook “Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Therapy,” as well as numerous articles in scholarly journals. Through the years, he has made multiple presentations on his research or aspects of athletic training during MATS, GLATA, and the NATA Annual Meetings and/or Symposiums.
He has been extensively involved in professional associations throughout his career. He was president of the Michigan Athletic Trainers’ Society (MATS) in 2011 and 2012, previously serving as president-elect in 2009-10 and as chair of the Professional Education Committee during 2007 and 2008. He is also a past Michigan state representative to the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association (GLATA). He received an Athletic Trainer Service Award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) in June.
A 1988 graduate of Hope’s athletic training program, Brumels worked with the college’s basketball, baseball, field hockey and football teams as well as in the athletic training room as a student. His undergraduate experiences also included an internship with the Patriots during the summer before his senior year.
After Hope he did graduate work in athletic training at Western Michigan University, completing his master’s in 1990. While in the master’s program he was also the staff athletic trainer at St. Mary’s Sports Med Center in Grand Rapids. He completed his doctorate at Western Michigan University in 2005.
He worked with the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Massachusetts, from 1990 to 2001. His responsibilities included supervising, educating and coordinating student athletic trainers during summer training camp and various internship positions throughout the football season. He also worked with the team physician and head athletic trainer to coordinate all aspects of medical services for the team and its staff.
More information about “Workplace Concepts for Athletic Trainers,” which costs $55.95, is available at slackbooks.com. Copies may also be ordered through the college’s Hope-Geneva Bookstore, which is located on the ground level of the DeWitt Center, 141 E. 12th St., and can be called at 800-946-4673 or 616-395-7833. Additional ordering information may be obtained by e-mailing the Hope-Geneva Bookstore at bookstore@hope.edu.