The story behind a trainer
Aaron Leavitt serves our country and our athletes
Riley White | Sports Writer
Photo Credit: Gabi Campbell, Photo Editor, @gabicampbellphotos
Assistant athletic trainer Aaron Leavitt has a responsibility to keep UVU athletes healthy and in the game. Along with serving many athletes, Leavitt serves the U.S. as a member of the National Guard.
Leavitt has been an assistant athletic trainer at Utah Valley University for nine years and during that time has been an integral part of student athlete success. His responsibilities include caring for and maintaining UVU’s wrestling, baseball, and golf teams.
It is with this same sense of dedication and obligation that Leavitt serves Utah Valley athletics. Despite having the challenge of caring for nearly 100 athletes, Leavitt gives all of his energy and attention to each person he deals with.
“The biggest challenge is trying to deal with all of the different schedules each athlete has,” said Leavitt. Each team has a different time frame and Leavitt is required to work around he different classes and games each team has. Often Leavitt will show up hours before game time to help prepare injured athletes to play or to give treatment to those with more serious problems. During the game or match, Leavitt stays on call ready to rush to the side of anyone that goes down. After the competition is over, his night keeps on going as he stays late to treat the injured and sore that need to prepare for the next game or match.
Along with his role as a trainer, Leavitt also teaches a sports taping lab twice a week. He still serves with the National Guard, where he is required to spend one weekend a month and two weeks a summer with his unit that is stationed in Rock Springs Wyoming.
A native of Star Valley, WY, Leavitt came to Utah to attend Ricks College. Before coming to Utah, Leavitt enlisted with the National Guard during his senior year of high school. After received his associate’s degree from Ricks College, Leavitt served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. When he got home, he attended Utah State University for semester before transferring to Weber State University. Leavitt graduated from WSU in 2004 with a degree in athletic training.
That same year, Leavitt was hired by Utah Valley as one of the assistant athletic trainers. His skill and knowledge has been an asset to many student-athletes that have dealt with injuries that would otherwise sideline them.
2006 was also the year that Leavitt got engaged to his wife. They were engaged on May 24, only six days before Leavitt’s unit was shipped to Camp Shelby in Mississippi. After their training was complete, the unit was sent to Iraq where they would spend one year. Because of his obligation and dedication to the National Guard, the wedding would have to wait.
They got married during an eight-day leave period that Leavitt’s unit was given in the fall. After that very short eight days, the unit returned to Iraq.
While in Iraq. Leavitt’s unit was responsible for convoy security. They were tasked with ensuring the safe travel of important supplies and equipment.