Dana Kephart has learned dozens of lessons in her time as an athletic trainer. One of the big ones?

No day is ever the same.

“As a trainer I’m always doing or seeing something different,” said Kephart, who works in central Pennsylvania at the Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster. “Some days it’s field hockey, others it’s a Special Olympics event. You see some different things and some really cool things.”

One of the sports she’s worked closely with is tennis.

Kephart worked as a trainer with the men’s and women’s tennis teams during her time studying at Penn State University. This summer, she spent time on-site at USTA League Section Championships at Hempfield Recreation Center.

While tennis isn’t a contact sport, it certainly presents some challenges.

“You see a lot of overuse injuries in tennis players,” she said. “Shoulders and elbows – things like that.”

Those injuries are common, especially among active players who are competing on a weekly or even daily basis. Other common issues shared among tennis players includes sprained ankles and, of course, dehydration and cramping.

Kephart said she loves being a trainer for the same reason she enjoyed playing sports growing up. No game is the same, and each day presents a new challenge. She also always wanted a career that would allow her to make a difference.

“I knew I wanted to do something where I was helping people,” she said. “To be able to match that with sports has been a lot of fun.”

Does your career involve tennis? Let us know your story by emailing NetPLAY@ms.usta.com.