Running Head: Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis
Ariana J. Rodarte
The University of Texas at El Paso







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Abstract
For this assignment, I will be demonstrating the concepts of rhetoric and
rhetorical situation. During this assignment and study, I have collected written artifacts
produced by both leaders and lower-level members of my community, athletic training. I will
also provide rhetorical analysis on the exigence, text, reader/audience, author, and constraints.
By this, I will be discussing an article about how coaches from collegiate football teams are
ignoring what athletic trainers have to say and doing as they please, even if it means harm to
the athlete.











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In todays society, there are many people that love athletics. Whether it be football,
basketball, soccer, baseball/softball, etc. The fans love going to watch games to watch their
favorite players on the field doing what they do. What many dont get to see is what happens
behind the scenes. By this, I mean all the hard work that is put in by all the athletes to make
game days exciting and to be able to give their opponents a great game. In the athletic world,
especially at the collegiate level, the athletes, of course, is what everyone sees. Many dont
realize that there are several teams behind the team. For instance, in football, you have the
coaching staff, video team, equipment managers, and athletic trainers. In this case, I will be
focusing more on the athletic training staff, coaching staff, and athletes. This is because no one
really knows the jobs of the athletic training staff, which is to prevent any injuries to any of the
athletes, and to ensure if the athlete is injured, to get them back to 100% so that they may
return to the field doing what they love. Although, this is their job, many are not able to do
their job, as they should.
Coaches are beginning to step on toes and refusing to listen to the athletic trainers
causing the athletic trainers to lose their jobs. This is becoming more and more of a problem
due to the fact that the athletes health and physical being are in danger. The most common
injury that has occurred lately has been concussions. According to Brad Wolverton in The
Chronicle of Higher Education, they [athletic trainers] have felt pressure from football
coaches to return concussed players to action before they were medically ready. Because of
this, it has caused uproar amongst college football teams in the NCAA Football Bowl
Subdivision.
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The Chronicle of Higher Education is best known as a newspaper that can also be
accessed online. It contains a plethora amount of information for news and job opportunities
for the college/university faculty and Student Affairs professionals. Like any online newspapers,
The Chronicle provides pictures and videos corresponding to the article that is being discussed.
On the other hand, unlike many online newspapers, this one provides links and quick access
sign ups for job opportunities in colleges and universities. This online periodical is an easy way
to access information on news stories at the collegiate level. It also provides links to where this
article can be shared.
In this case, the article is mainly about athletic trainers not being able to do their job
without getting their toes stepped on by the head football coaches and staff. The article also
illustrates a survey that was conducted and sent to athletic trainers and training staff from
NCAAs 120 largest football programs. Out of the 101 who responded, 11 said they reported
directly to the football coach or a member of the coaching staff, 32 said a member of the
football coaching staff had influence over hiring and firing decisions for their position, 53 said
they had felt pressure from football coaches to return a student to play faster than they
thought was in his best interest medically, and 42 said they had felt pressure from football
coaches to return an athlete to the field even after he suffered a concussion. Many of these
athletic trainers have lost their jobs because of this. After evaluating the athlete and their
diagnosis was a concussion, many trainers were forced to release the athlete back into the
game on the coachs demanding request. Most have expressed their opinions in this article
describing how the ones making the decisions as far as whether or not the athlete should
return onto the field or not, are being made by the wrong person outside the medical fieldin
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other words, the coaches. Because of this, as mentioned before, the athletic trainer has lost
their job.
The purpose of this article was to show what is really going on behind the scenes in
athletics. Students, athletes, medical professionals, staff, and NCAA staff are the ones being
targeted. This is so that they are being notified and are aware as to what is going on and why
athletic trainers are losing their jobs. This has been done far too many times to be ignored,
especially since its affecting the athletes health. Its not fair that athletic trainers are losing
their jobs for something that wasnt their fault. Its the audiences job to understand what is
going on and be the ones to say something and stand up for what is right.
Brad Wolverton, the author of the article, is a senior writer that that has covered
university leadership, college finances, and intercollegiate athletics...overseen the publications
athletics coverage since 2005 He has done previous articles based on athletics and is one of
their oldest authors. Wolverton does have some experience in writing about athletics. Thus,
giving him some experience in the athletics world, but not too much. He seems to be taking
sides on this topic in the sense of being in favor of the athletic trainers by pointing out the issue
and publicizing it. The fact that there is injustice here, it is being pointed out. He seems to be
somewhat motivating by including comments from actual athletic trainers that have lost their
jobs. This gives the reader first hand as to what the opinions were of actual athletic trainers.
The author does seem to appeal to his own credibility by using pathos. This is because
he gives examples of actual trainers giving their opinions. "If something bad happens, the
trainer says he told the coach, you're on your own. Trainers have been stuck in several
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predicaments its hard to do what is right. This is because they dont know what to do when they
are stuck in that situation because they know their job is at risk.