Zoe Moser was a three-sport student-athlete at Colton High School. Not only did she play basketball, volleyball, and softball for the school, but she also participated in sporting events outside of Colton. When Zoe injured her ACL playing in an all-star basketball game in Seattle in 2016, the first person she texted was Kai Seshiki, Athletic Trainer at Colton High School.
“I always knew I could text Kai anytime I experienced pain or discomfort playing- whether it was at a Colton High School event or something else,” says Zoe. “Having Kai on staff gave me peace of mind.” Kai determined that Zoe, who was in her senior year, would need to see an orthopedic surgeon- Dr. Ed Tingstad, with Inland Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine Clinic for MRI imaging and consultation.
One morning, Zoe’s dad texted her and asked if she was coming home for lunch. As Zoe turned down the street to her house, she saw her parents and Kai standing on the driveway. “My MRI results came back, and they confirmed there was a tear and that I would need surgery. Kai knew it was going to be hard for me to hear that, so he came to my house to help break the news and explain the next steps. Having him so invested in my well-being that he would take time out of his day to come to my house and talk through this with me- I just really appreciated that,” says Zoe.
“For whatever reason, my parents were unable to come to my pre-op appointment, so Kai came with me. I was super nervous about having surgery, but having Kai there to reassure me everything was going to be okay meant the world to me,” says Zoe. Dr. Tingstad and Zoe ended up sitting and talking for over an hour; “Dr. Tingstad answered all of my questions in a way I could understand and I felt that he truly cared about me.” Kai also gave Zoe a booklet about knees to read so she would know exactly what was happening with hers.
During the month between receiving the MRI results and the surgery date, Zoe did physical therapy every day with Kai to help strengthen the areas around the tear, which in turn would help her recovery. When the surgery day arrived, Kai was there. He even scrubbed into Zoe’s surgery so she wouldn’t be alone! “Kai lightened the mood pre- and post-surgery and helped me deal with the nerves,” says Zoe.
Kai didn’t stop at the operating room. When Zoe was recovering from surgery, Kai, his wife, and his young daughter brought her a care package and checked in to see how she was doing. “It really meant a lot to me that Kai was there throughout my surgery. Having that familiar face beside me was such a comfort,” says Zoe.
“My story is not unique. Kai offers this level of care to all the student-athletes in Colton. He truly is incredible,” reflects Zoe.
Kai Seshiki is part of the Regional High School Athletic Training Program, which puts Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) in 4 local high schools to provide consistent and efficient treatment, triage, and prevention of sports injuries. Student-athletes have access to these services at no cost to the family. If you’re interested in learning more about the program and its impact on student-athletes like Zoe, visit pullmanregional.org/athletic-training
