When Megan Luetje first laced up her field hockey cleats as a freshman at LFHS, she had no idea that it was the start of her path toward a fulfilling career in athletic training. Her love for sports would merge with a profound commitment to helping others excel and improve.

Luetje’s best friend on the field hockey team struggled with a knee injury, requiring numerous surgeries and frequent visits to the athletic trainers, which meant Luetje tagging along.

“I would join her as you all join your friends in the training room, and I was introduced to the profession of athletic training,” Luetje said.

This initial exposure sparked Luetje’s passion for athletic training and this profession. She began exploring the world of physical therapy, seeking opportunities to expand her knowledge. 

“Once I learned about athletic training, I continued to look further into physical therapy,” said Luetje. “I went to Lake Forest Hospital physical therapy as a student intern and shadowed some physical therapists from there.”

Luetje worked with student athletes who had severe injuries where she admired their perseverance and resilience. This helped her realize that she wanted to work with clientele who have the same determination and passion as them.

Starting as a student athletic trainer aide at LFHS, Luetje mastered the basics such as tapping, wrapping, and emergency action plans. The next step in her journey took her to the University of Iowa, where she entered a highly competitive athletic training program.

“There were about 70 kids that applied per year and they only took 12 per class. Luckily, I had learned so much in high school that I made it into the program in the first round,” Luetje said.

At Iowa, Luetje’s education was very hands-on. She shadowed head athletic trainers across various sports and spent her final year traveling with Iowa’s field hockey team. Although she wasn’t playing, her passion for field hockey never died and she was eager to take on this new role and combine it with the sport she loves.

After graduating from Iowa, Luetje pursued a master’s degree in Kinesiology at the University of Illinois, where she taught athletic training classes, covered outreach programs, and provided coverage for the soccer and tennis teams. After her masters, Luetje received the staff internship position at Northwestern University. 

“There, we helped cover football along with my own teams which were boys soccer and women’s softball. We ended the year with the World Series for women’s softball,” Luetje said.

After this internship, Luetje worked at Athletico for a quick year until she was brought out to Maine East High School, where she served as the Head Athletic Trainer for 17 years. 

Luetje’s professional career eventually brought her back to where it all began- LFHS. As her son began to improve in soccer, she wanted to be more present and support him in-person.

“That’s when I realized if I stay at Maine East I will always be cheering on and watching other people’s children, not my own. The next month, the Lake Forest athletic trainer spot opened so I applied and here I am,” Luetje said.

Luetje’s return to LFHS has been marked by enthusiasm and a drive to enhance the athletic training program.

“First, I want to learn and understand all of Bart and Jen’s [LFHS trainers] protocols, procedures, and treatments in athletic training,” she said. “One of my biggest things I would love to do is start an athletic training program, training club or training internship. I think it’s great to involve high school kids in the profession and get them to learn.”

A key strength of Luetje’s is her ability to build trust and relationships with athletes and coaches. She believes that “communication is key” and emphasizes the idea of “over communicating.” 

She recognizes how busy everyone’s day to day life is, but wants her athletes to know how much she cares about them beyond their sports.

“It’s important to take the time to ask how their day is or their weekend was. Everyone wants to be busy in life. Everyone wants to be competitive in life. Let them know we care about them socially and emotionally, not just about their sports,” Luetje said. “There’s a lot more things that these young athletes deal with on a regular day, and just checking in with them is really important.”

She believes that communicating with the coaches can help demonstrate how trainers can enhance their athlete’s performance. After that, it comes down to getting the athletes to trust you. 

“Most importantly, let the athletes know that you are empathetic with them,” she said.

Handling emergencies is another critical aspect of Luetje’s role. 

“You find out early in your career in athletic training if you can handle emergencies,” she said. 

Throughout her learning career, she has witnessed lots of people who are top in her class freeze when an emergency happens, and that is when you realize that this profession isn’t for you. 

“We don’t have time to freeze,” Luetje said.

Although the trainers’ day begins at 10:30 a.m. to work with kids coming in for treatment and rehab, they also cover both East and West campus after school, making coverage a bit challenging. 

“It’s important to make sure contact sports are covered due to the high levels of injuries. We also stay for all the athletic competitions and games,” Luetje said. “Some days, like Friday night football, don’t end until 10 or 11 p.m. and then we have to get up early the next morning to take on a Saturday tournament or competition.”

As the new athletic trainer at LFHS, Megan Luetje’s journey reflects her deep passion for the field, beginning with high school experiences to her rigorous professional career. 

“Jen and Bart’s knowledge, rehab, and treatment is outstanding, and I am lucky they have allowed me to join their team,” Luetje said.