THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505090094
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
BRANDON HUGHES is often the first man on the scene when a Salem soccer player is injured.
As athletic trainers go, he has a bit of an advantage over others - he's on the field during games instead of sitting on the bench waiting for something to happen.
In fact, he might even someday be the reason someone gets injured. Shoot, he might even be the one getting hurt.
``Even if we're just playing a pickup football game somewhere, the guys will yell out, `hey, you're the trainer' when somebody gets hurt,'' Hughes said. ``I guess it's kind of a different thing having the trainer out there playing in the game.''
Hughes is a forward for the Sun Devils. He is also an award-winning student athletic trainer - having just won the Virginia Beach Orthopaedic Associates' annual $1,000 scholarship.
It's just that dual role that has Hughes thinking he can be a top-notch athletic trainer.
He's already got the athlete part pretty much down.
``Being an athlete helps,'' said Salem athletic trainer Cindy Midkiff, whose program has garnered five of the seven scholarships given by the local organization. ``He's been involved with athletics all his life. Most people have experienced physical pain, but it's especially trying for an athlete.
``Brandon understands that and it should help him.''
Hughes doesn't appear to need much help, but knows where to get it when he does. He often turns to Midkiff, watching her every move in the training room and on the playing field.
He has a reputation for seeking knowledge on his own and has gone the extra mile to prepare himself for his chosen future. He has taken several athletic training seminars and courses.
In fact, it was one such course - Salem's anatomy class taught by Midkiff - that sparked his interest in the field.
``I loved it,'' said Hughes, who leads the Sun Devils soccer team in assists. ``I really took to it. I think it's something for me. I understand the mentality of athletes and I like the athletic training aspect of things.''
Hughes will use his scholarship money at Elon College. He hopes to still be able to play soccer there.
``I think he's the best server in the Beach,'' Salem coach Ken Fabian said. ``Without someone who can put the ball in a certain area for certain players, you're not going to score goals. Brandon can pinpoint the ball where you want it to be and he can serve it with any pace you want.
``I think he can be an impact player (at Elon).''
Hughes had plenty of impact on Dr. Tom Meade, one of the scholarship committee members and a doctor at Virginia Beach Orthopaedic Associates.
``It was a tough pick,'' Meade said of the six applicants - five of whom were from Salem. ``But Brandon interviewed very well. He comes from a top-notch program. He's a very confident, out-going, friendly young man and that's the kind of person we want.''
Fabian would take a hundred of him if he could.
``He doesn't score a lot of goals, but he's involved in a lot of them. . . and he makes the right decisions as to what to do with the ball and when.''
Hughes thinks he has definitely made the right career decision, thinking he'll probably center his education on the physical therapy side of the athletic training business.
``But there are so many routes I can take,'' he said. ``I'm still not sure, exactly what one to take, but I think I've made up my mind.''
Like on the soccer field, his gut instinct usually pays off. This time it paid off with a nice scholarship. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Brandon Hughes will use his $1,000 scholarship from the Virginia
Beach Orthopaedic Associates at Elon College, where he also hopes to
continue playing soccer.
by CNB