Spotlight - Pete Butler
As a young Green Bay Packers fan donning green and gold and faithfully watching games with his dad, Simpson College junior Pete Butler never thought he’d someday find himself walking along the sidelines of legendary Lambeau Field. But this summer Butler had that chance when he did a six-week internship for the NFL team.Last winter, Butler, an athletic training major from Indianola, went with his dad and two brothers to the Packers game against the Chicago Bears – one of the biggest games of the season. While at the game, he had the opportunity to tour the Packers facilities with a staff member who told him about internship opportunities. Butler quickly applied for the internship, and out of 96 college students who applied, he was the one applicant selected.
“I never thought I’d get the chance to work at this level,” said Butler.
The internship lasted through preseason games, but the players, coaches and interns followed the regular season routine, working from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Butler’s duties included administering various rehabilitation treatments for the athletes – ranging from electrical stimulation, massage and ultrasound to taping ankles and wrists. He also worked on the sidelines during the games.
Butler says it took a couple of days to get over the awe of working with his favorite team, but he quickly became more comfortable around the players and confident in his abilities as a trainer. Still, he admits, it was a pretty awesome feeling to get to know the famous athletes, including future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.
Butler says each day of the internship was a tremendous learning experience and he hopes to return to work for the Packers next season.