Athletic trainer Darana Ruhle recently found out she will serve as an athletic trainer for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas’ Saturday, Dec, 17 at Wofford College’s Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.

Both North Carolina and South Carolina nominate athletic trainers; however, only one is selected from each state. To be nominated as one of the athletic trainer candidates for the Shrine Bowl, someone from the local Shriner’s Club in the high school’s area has to nominate a trainer.

“Of course I said yes because it’s a huge honor, and I was shocked and surprised and humbled,” Ruhle said, “so I said ‘yeah, absolutely I would love to do it.’”

Ruhle found out about her selection while she was working in the health room. Mike Guerrero, head of the committee that oversees the Shrine Bowl staff, and Ruhle were chatting on the phone and talking about the athletic trainers meeting they would be attending. Guerrero surprised her by asking if she would be the athletic trainer for North Carolina at the game.

“I almost fell out of the chair in the health room [when I found out],” Ruhle said. “I was so excited. It’s a huge honor and privilege, and it’s very humbling because it’s not just high school [athletic trainers], it’s public and private schools, big universities and small colleges, and high schools.”

The Shrine Bowl is a game between the best high school athletes in the Carolinas. It is similar to what the Pro Bowl is for the NFL. These athletes are treated how any NFL athlete would be treated. Some of these athletes will go on to the NFL after runs at Division I and II colleges. For others, this is the closest they will get but it will give them a great opportunity to show off their skills. Although, for the athletic trainers, not much changes as they just do what they are used to doing.

“We go to all the meetings, we get the practices and the fields ready, and we’re there in case anyone gets hurt [to] take care of them,” Ruhle said. “ We tape them and do all the pre-game stuff we normally do.”

Ruhle has been the athletic trainer here since she graduated college 21 years ago. After graduated from MHS and then attended Barton College.

“Mr. Moncie “Punk” Daniels retired the year that I came out of college and there was an opening and I applied for it,” Ruhle said. “It was a P.E. opening and they actually interviewed me for Manteo Elementary, but when they found out I was an athletic trainer they moved me to Manteo High School and I was lucky enough to get the job.”