Ann Franklin holds a B.S. in Athletic Training from the University of Connecticut and an M.S. in Sports Medicine from Boston University, where her clinical research focused on concussion protocols and return-to-play decision-making in adolescent athletes — an area of practice she considers the most consequential and the most frequently underestimated in secondary school athletics. She is certified by the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers and holds additional certifications in emergency cardiac care and sport psychology fundamentals from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Before joining Clarebourne she spent five years as the head athletic trainer at the Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut, where she redesigned the school’s injury prevention program and introduced a pre-participation screening process that reduced acute soft-tissue injuries by nearly a third in its first two years of implementation. She brought both programs to Clarebourne on arrival and has since added a mental health component to the pre-season screening — a protocol she developed in consultation with Miriam Castillo-Reyes that identifies athletes who may benefit from additional support before the pressure of a competitive season begins.
She is the first point of contact for any student athlete dealing with an injury, illness, or physical concern, and the person coaches consult before any athlete returns to play following an absence. Families who have questions about their child’s physical welfare in the context of athletics are encouraged to reach out to her directly.
“My job is to keep athletes in the game — but not at the cost of their long-term health. Those two things are almost always compatible. When they are not, there is no ambiguity about which one wins.”
Clarebourne since 2015