When junior Mika Schrader entered the athletic training room after getting a concussion, she was met with a cheery Ashley Frankian ready to help diagnose her.

“She was super nice and really helpful,” Schrader said.

Frankian is an Autism paraprofessional during the day and the athletic trainer during practices and varsity events after the last bell rings. After studying at the University of Kansas for athletic training, Frankian got the job right after graduation.

“I broke my ankle in high school and had surgery and I thought that what my athletic trainer did was pretty cool, and so that got me interested in the field,” Frankian said.

Even though Frankian feels like she isn’t well known because she spends most of her time at school in the Autism classroom, she still feels at home here at Free State.

“I like how Free State seems like a family atmosphere,” Frankian said. “That you [can] walk down the hallway, and you see another staff member and … They say hi and that kind of stuff.”

Athletes often rely on Frankian when they are injured.

“She’s really pleasant to be around … Even when she has a bunch of people to take care of,” Schrader said.

Frankian can always be found after school at practice and at all home varsity events, making sure all of the athletes are ready to play.

Even though she has two very different jobs, she enjoys them both. Whether it’s seeing one of her autistic students succeed at a practiced task or watching an injured athlete return to the field, both jobs are rewarding in their own way.