+
I n the small shared office at the back of the athletic training room, Don Bagnall—who has served as an athletic trainer at Hopkins for 41 years—pulls out a large cardboard box from his top drawer and places it on his desk. Having just announced that he will retire following the 2022/2023 school year, Bagnall is finally starting to pause and reflect on his time here.
“These are a few letters and cards I’ve been sent over the years,” he explains.
Bagnall is being modest as always. There aren’t just a few notes. There are so many of them that they’re spilling out from all sides. All handwritten from students and parents, some of the ink on the pages has faded from over four decades of wear. Each note tells a different story but shares the same sentiment: Thank you, Don. “My gut says it’s time to retire, but my head and my heart will argue until the cows come home,” he says.
“These get you through the difficult parts of the day,” says Bagnall.
It may be hard for many in the Hopkins community to imagine an athletic competition without spotting Bagnall walking up and down the sidelines, the strap to his medical bag thrown over his shoulder as he patiently surveys the field. It may be strange for students and returning alums next year to not spot him in the hallways of the athletic center cracking a dry joke or asking a student how they’re feeling. Bagnall is also having a tough time imagining it himself.
“My gut says it’s time to retire, but my head and my heart will argue until the cows come home,” he says.
In his tenure at Hopkins, Bagnall has become much more than an athletic trainer on the sidelines. This past December, on the day his retirement was announced across the School’s social media accounts, a flood of comments rolled in from alumni of all ages, congratulating Bagnall on his renowned career. Many added anecdotes, inside jokes, and memories of injuries and sore muscles that Bagnall tended to through the years. Many were also quick to mention the seemingly endless roll of medical tape that Bagnall always had handy. Most of the words of appreciation stored within the cardboard box and in the digital space, however, have nothing to do with physical injuries. They speak to Bagnall’s role as a listener and a provider of emotional safety during the difficult adolescent years. While an injury may have brought students to Bagnall’s medical table, they often returned for additional support, whether it be to voice frustration around their recovery timeline or something completely unrelated to sports. Bagnall’s approach in those moments has always been to listen but also to know when it’s time to encourage them to move forward.
TOP: Bagnall’s box overflowing with thank you cards, notes, and memorabilia. BOTTOM: Bagnall’s weathered medical bag has traveled many miles with him, even around the globe.
“The training room was an area of refuge and meditation,” remembers Brock Dubin ’90. “Don was able to not only get us
VIEWS FROM THE HILL | 2023 • ISSUE 1
21
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online