As the start of the Winter Olympics rapidly approaches on Feb. 12, 2010, former Olympic trainer Betsy Nadler will not be traveling to Vancouver. Instead she will be in Dallas helping Greenhill athletes overcome their injuries.

Betsy Nadler, Greenhill’s new athletic trainer, worked for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) in Lake Placid, New York, for 10 years before coming to Greenhill this year.

At the Olympic Training Center in the Adirondack Mountains, Ms. Nadler helped winter sport athletes’ injuries with her vast knowledge of medical care.

She worked with famous medal winning Olympians such as speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno and figure skaters Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan.

She also worked with the women’s ice hockey teams, older athletes, and people in commercials promoting the Olympics.

In addition, Ms. Nadler was the Medical Director of the 2008 Paralympics Games in Beijing, China. She was also responsible for medical care and the staff.

She worked with amputees, the blind, and athletes with other disabilities as well.

As much as she enjoyed her job, she said she "needed a change."

Before the summer Olympics in Beijing, the USOC had a reorganization and leadership change, so she chose to leave.

"I also wanted somewhere that’s warmer," Ms. Nadler said. "Lake Placid gets eight months of winter."

She said she wanted to move to a place where she knew people, and a friend working at the University of Texas at Arlington emailed her about the athletic trainer opportunity at Greenhill.

"It was exactly what I was looking for," Ms. Nadler said. "[The opportunity] was serendipitous."

As a freshman in high school, Ms. Nadler played volleyball and basketball until she hurt her knee and was unable to play sports for a long time.

During her recovery, she spent so much time in the trainer’s room that she became interested in applying as a student trainer.

She said she thoroughly enjoyed it and sought to pursue training as a profession.

She received her Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science and became a Certified Athletic Trainer in May 1994.

After gaining plenty of experience working with elite athletes, Ms. Nadler has much to offer student athletes at Greenhill.

"Betsy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Greenhill Sports Medicine staff," said Kent Johnson, Athletic Trainer. "Having worked with and been exposed to some of the world’s best athletes and medical personnel, she has had the opportunity to learn some of the latest techniques in injury treatment and rehabilitation."

Student athletes have already recognized how a former Olympic trainer can improve their health.

"She’s probably familiar with most, if not all, of the injuries that students have and can therefore give good feedback and advice as to how to go about fixing those problems," said sophomore Elizabeth Aguebor, student trainer.

Aside from working with the students, Betsy said she also enjoys the many differences between Lake Placid and Dallas.

"I love the strong sports medicine community, which we didn’t have in Lake Placid," Ms. Nadler said. "I also like the convenience of living in a city."

Only 3,000 people live in Lake Placid compared to the 6.3 million people living in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Despite the conveniences of city life, there are some things she misses.

"I grew up in Colorado, and I miss the mountains," she said.

Even though she is not used to the big city traffic, Ms. Nadler said she enjoys the city and is "having a great time."