By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

University Hospitals and Streetsboro High School athletic trainer Staci Bohanon (right) stands with the Cleveland Browns team doctor Dr. Salata, who presented Bohanon as the Athletic Trainer of the Year.
Special to Portage Sports

Staci Bohanon typically lives behind the scenes.

So when she found herself directly in the spotlight, standing at center stage, she was a bit surprised.

So much so, that she wondered if it was a mistake.

Bohanon, who has served as Streetsboro High School’s athletic trainer for the last seven years, was named the Athletic Trainer of the Year at cleveland.com‘s High School Standouts On and Off the Field ceremony on June 8.

While Bohanon knew she was one of 16 nominees for the prestigious honor, it was not until she arrived that she quickly realized that she was not simply a nominee.

“When I got there, there were posters of all of the nominees that had quotes on them about that person,” Bohanon said, “and they were identified as nominees. Mine had Athletic Trainer of the Year already printed on it, and I was absolutely shocked. I thought maybe it was a misprint.

A framed quote pulled from Staci Bohanon’s nomination form on display in Bohanon’s office at Streetsboro.
Special to Portage Sports

“I had to hold in my excitement. Almost talk myself out of the fact that it was real,” Bohanon added.

That stance from Bohanon stems from the fact that she never entered the field with the intent of winning awards. Her career choice was about helping people.

“I love sports, and I love to help people. The fact that I could do both of those things at the same time was an amazing though to me,” said Bohanon, who graduated from Berea High School and Bowling Green State University.

Bohanon was hired by University Hospitals and assigned to Streetsboro High School, which is a district and city that she has fallen in love with.

“I feel like I am so lucky to be at Streetsboro because it is such an awesome school. The coaches are great, the student-athletes are great and the administration is great. Overall, Portage County is amazing,” said Bohanon, also stating that her longevity with one district has helped strengthen her relationships.

“Everyone is so helpful and it has gotten to the point that we are all good friends,” Bohanon said. “We know each other really well, and we know how each other likes to do things. There is a genuine, mutual respect, and I have so much appreciation for the amount of time that our coaches put into their specific sport. It is unbelievable, and I have always had a really great relationship with our athletic director Randy Tevepaugh.”

It is the second straight year that the Athletic Trainer of the Year award was given to a trainer working in Portage County, with last year’s winner being Ravenna’s Jonathan Greathouse.

Greathouse was actually part of the committee that interviewed Bohanon for her position at University Hospitals that jumpstarted a career that forced her to be ready for anything.

On her first day as an athletic trainer, Bohanon remembers being on the Rockets’ campus for two soccer games, football practice and a volley game.

The banner that recognizes Staci Bohanon as the 2023 Athletic Trainer of the Year that will hang inside the Streetsboro High School gymnasium.
Special to Portage Sports

She has not slowed down since.

In addition to being on site for the Rockets, Bohanon is also a Health Academy Advisor at the Polaris Career Center, as well as a Kent State Athletic Training Program Preceptor.

And add to her list the top trainer in the area.

“To be named the trainer of the year is something that I am very excited about and very honored,” Bohanon said. “I am at every practice and every game and in many ways, I feel like a part of the team. Athletic trainers usually do not get a lot of attention and sometimes people might not realize we are there unless there is an injury. We are big supporters of our teams, though, and it felt awesome to be recognized.”