The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.
Prior to the start of the 2023-24 school year, Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) took a significant step in prioritizing the health and well-being of its student-athletes. For the first time, the district’s high schools would have a full-time, certified athletic trainer on campus, in a move aimed to improve the standards of sports safety and injury prevention.
In the dynamic world of athletic training, Kagan Kaczmar stands out for her expertise and the unexpected path that led her to become the Head Athletic Trainer at Cabrillo High School.
Kaczmar’s journey to Cabrillo showcases the unpredictability and the diverse paths one can take in athletic training. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Life Pacific University before earning a master’s in athletic training from Azusa Pacific.
But the plan was not to end up on a high school campus. In fact, that’s the opposite of what she’d planned for her career.
Kaczmar’s initial resistance to working in a high school environment was based on a desire to forge a different path from her mother, a retired teacher at Mira Costa High School.
“I always swore that I would never work in a high school and be like my mom,” she said.
However, life took an unexpected turn, and Kaczmar became the “carbon copy” of her mother, landing a pivotal role in a high school setting. Now that she’s there, her feelings have completely shifted.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to be just like her.”
Kaczmar’s journey took a decisive turn when she unwittingly found herself in the role of Head Athletic Trainer at South Tahoe High School in Lake Tahoe. After taking a position with the local hospital which also served the campus, she was surprised that she had taken on that additional responsibility.
“I remember asking, so who’s the head athletic trainer I’m going to be working with?” Kaczmar recalled. “They said ‘Oh, you are. You’re going to be the head athletic trainer.”
Despite the unexpected twist in her career path, she embraced her new role and developed a deep affection for it.
“I fell in love with it,” Kaczmar said. “I fell in love with building a relationship with the kids.”
In her newly beloved role, Kaczmar says she hopes to provide a sense of security and warmth, creating an environment where students always feel welcome. In order to establish a solid connection with her new students at Cabrillo, Kaczmar made sure to make her presence known on campus.
”I didn’t have to be here early, but I tried to be here during lunchtime to walk around campus and make sure they saw me around,” she explained.
This intentional effort was a testament to her commitment to accessibility and approachability, creating a welcoming atmosphere for students under her care. Kaczmar took it a step further, believing that spending quality time with the students was crucial for building trust and making informed decisions prioritizing their needs.
“It was really about spending quality time with the kids,” she said. “And out of that is when they trusted me to make decisions; they knew I had their best interests in mind.”
In her dedication to nurturing relationships, Kagan went the extra mile by preparing a stash of snacks to provide students with needed fuel throughout the day. As she put it, “I always tried to have bars and snacks on hand,” reinforcing her commitment to creating a supportive and caring atmosphere for the students under her care.
During her first year at Cabrillo, Kaczmar has frequently navigated the diverse demands of her role. On certain days, her tasks involved the preparation of Gatorade or water for the team, ensuring their peak performance during practices. In contrast, there would be days when she was at her desk, sending off emails to staff or other sports organizations.
”I often wear a lot of hats; no two days look the same, and some are distinctly different,” Kaczmar explained.
These activities showcased her organizational prowess and underscored her commitment to cultivating relationships within the school community and beyond.
Much of her time is devoted to participating in practices; supporting and engaging with her student-athletes. Witnessing their success both on and off the field brings her immense joy, with a particular highlight being the triumphant return of a student-athlete from an injury. Celebrating these victories alongside her students was a source of fulfillment, and among the most rewarding parts of her job.
“I love to see my kids succeed on and off the court—nothing brought me more joy than seeing them come back from an injury and celebrating that win with them,” she said.
Despite her initial resistance, Kaczmar unequivocally expressed that she wouldn’t have had it any other way. The ever-changing responsibilities keep her on her toes, contributing to the unique and rewarding experience of serving as Cabrillo’s head athletic trainer.
In Kaczmar’s role, she works closely with various coaches on campus, including Cabrillo boys’ basketball coach Chris Spencer. When asked about his initial memory of Kaczmar, he promptly recalled her introduction to the sports community on campus.
“During a school-wide athletic meeting, she arrived with a warm Hawaiian bread supper,” Spencer said. “That’s very indicative of her personality, very kind and giving.”
He continued that her presence was more than just physical support for the players, but also mentally. During Spencer’s first season as a coach on campus, there was no full-time athletic trainer. But in year two, he’s been able to forge a great working relationship with Kaczmar, who has made his job easier as a coach.
“Before having her on the team, it was tough,” Spencer admitted. “I was fortunate to have an athletic background to be able to wrap a few ankles, but nothing like what she is.”
When asked about her decision to bring King’s Hawaiian for the athletic staff meeting, Kaczmar explained that she briefly worked at King’s Hawaiian as her “in-between” job, working as an Early Intervention Specialist. That experience allowed her to apply her athletic training knowledge in an industrial setting, where she discovered that the environment just wasn’t for her.
“I realized I wasn’t passionate about it,” she said. “I wasn’t excited to go to work; it was boring. I missed my kids, I missed the relationships, I missed having fun with them.”
Ultimately, that professional detour provided her with a valuable discovery. It reminded her of the love she has for school-based athletic training, which provides a dynamic and engaging environment where she truly belongs.
Kaczmar finds deep fulfillment in her role at Cabrillo High School, relishing the opportunity to build students and staff connections, all while leaving her own unique “carbon copy” of care and dedication, echoing the legacy of warmth inspired by her mother.
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This feature story belongs to a multi-part series highlighting LBUSD’s new athletic trainers. The stories are part of an initiative for The562’s student interns, who completed all interviews, writing and photography for this project. Story by Allison Nguyen and all photos by Rasheed Riveroll Castillo.
