At Ritenour’s home football game against Saint Louis University High School (SLUH) there was one person on the field who was running around, pushing the players to be their best, and working hard with specific players over the course of the game.

This person was not one of the coaches, or any of the players themselves, but the new athletic trainer, Petra Knight.

Knight graduated from Murray State University, located in Kentucky. She attended six years of school at Murray State, spending four years as an undergraduate and two years as a graduate student.

Before coming to Ritenour, Knight worked as a trainer at the college level. She also spent some time working with the previous Ritenour trainer, Dan McLeod, who the students called “Doc.” That time with “Doc” helped Knight prepare her for her new environment.

“It took time, three to four weeks to adjust to the [Ritenour students], but they were all very welcoming,” Knight said.

Knight applied for the job at Ritenour partly due to a recommendation from McLeod. The good reviews he had given the Ritenour students after working several years with Ritenour inspired Knight to come to Ritenour.

Junior volleyball player Jessica Poelker, who attended therapy with Knight for a sprained ankle, has built a relationship with Knight and thinks she is a young and hip new trainer.

“She’s really cool and a lot of fun, she is similar to a big kid,” Poelker said.
Junior Varsity Volleyball coach Micheal Loyd also believes that Knight has done a good job at Ritenour so far.

“She is very enthusiastic; she goes above and beyond and just overall does a great job rehabilitating [the Ritenour students]. She does rehabbing in a non-boring, pleasant way,” Loyd said. “She, in truth, wants the most excellent and quickest recovery, so the kids can get back on their feet ASAP. And outside all of the training she is just a fun overall person and does well with kids.”

Junior Karlyle Brewer attends therapy daily with Knight and has improved tremendously. During the fall season, Brewer tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and had partial meniscus damage, He received surgery in mid-September.

“She shows no mercy towards you,” Brewer said. “She really pushes you to get better so you can get back to your sport.”