Over a 40-year career, 'Doc' Nielsen's job became a labor of love

It began as somewhat of a fluke and turned into a destination spot for Donald "Doc" Nielsen.

"I was working at a pool at the time and I was looking for a job at Woodstock High School," said Nielsen. "I had just completed my Masters in Adapted P.E. from Illinois State. One of the track coaches heard that St. Charles was looking to hire an athletic trainer who also taught Health/P.E. and gave me a phone number to call.

"The next day, I interviewed and got the job."

Forty years later, Nielsen still holds the position as athletic trainer at St. Charles East High School.

When the last Saints' team is eliminated from postseason play - later this month or next - Nielsen will head back home to Geneva and begin a new chapter in his life - retirement.

"We started talking about it a while back," Nielsen said of a conversation with his wife, Nancy. "Our two daughters (Katie and Emily) live downstate and our first grandson was born 11 months ago. We're looking forward to being able to take off on weekends for family visits."

Nielsen, 66, has seen his share of changes at St. Charles East, including the school split in 2000 and numerous coaching and administrative comings and goings.

"My first AD (athletic director) was Paul Bergeson and I've also had the privilege to work for Jodie Harrison, Wayne DeMaar, Jerry Krieg and now Mike Sommerfeld," said Nielsen. "I've had the opportunity to work with them and they were all good people."

Back in the late 1970s, the idea of a high school having an athletic trainer on staff was a newfound one.

"One good thing was that one of our new football coaches, Kurt Anderson, previously had an athletic trainer so he knew how to deal with it," said Nielsen. "I remember our equipment manager asking, 'you mean we don't have to tape ankles anymore?'

"I kind of had to train some of the coaches about what I did. I told them, 'I'm not going to coach and you let me take care of the injuries,'" he added.

Nielsen's beginnings in St. Charles coincided with the arrival of three other Saints coaches/P.E. teachers - Rick Butcher, Mark Gould and John Peach.

"We got to help develop the health curriculum at the school," said Nielsen. "We were hired around the same time and we're still real close friends."

The evolution of the high school training room has been a monumental one.

"When I first started, I just had a little room by both P.E. offices," said Nielsen. "I couldn't go into the girls' locker room so after school I had my supplies on a cart and I rolled it out and taped athletes off the bleachers. There were no taping tables."

Even the making of ice was a makeshift act.

"We had a shorted out refrigerator that froze everything," said Nielsen. "I'd cut off the bottom of a gallon milk jug and put water in it."

Nielsen credited former industrial arts teachers Pat Feulner and Lou LaBuda for helping build the black and orange training tables still used in the Saints' training room today.

When the school split in 2000, Nielsen gained a partner in the training room - fellow athletic trainer Chuck Harrier.

"I've worked the past 18 years with Doc," said Harrier. "We worked together for four years before that for multiple events when I was at Geneva.

"He's a legend. Not many people would last 40 years doing what he does. He has been able to adapt to all of the changes that have taken place during that time.

"He gets along with everybody from the coaches to the students. His personality is so even keel."

Nielsen takes pride in watching some of the current Saints' coaching staff - several of whom he taught as students in his Health class.

"I remember when we were playing Palatine in the football quarterfinals a couple years ago," he recalled. "Pat Durr (former Saints standout) was there watching and I was looking at guys like Nolan Possley and Brian Teresinski. With the exception of Tim Wolf and Bryce (head coach Farquhar), I helped take care of all of the others at St. Charles.

"I've really enjoyed being around the kids and watching their development."

For Harrier, Nielsen's presence has played a huge part in his life.

"When I switched to St. Charles East, my wife, Kristy, was pregnant with our first daughter, Kylie," said Harrier.

"Later on, my daughters would come into the training room every day. I had the kids during the day and my wife would come pick them up later in the afternoon. He is like a grandpa to my kids."

Nielsen plans on returning as a substitute - but on his terms.

"I won't be completely gone," he said. "But I'll be able to choose whether I want to work that day or not."

A retirement party for Nielsen is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, June 1 at Spotted Fox Ale House in St. Charles.

Craig Brueske can be reached at csb4k@hotmail.com