Peter Ciccarelli
The A.T. for the W
The University of New England’s Newest Athletic Trainer Dave Cotner Brings a Competitive Edge to Campus
Arriving at the University of New England last fall, Dave Cotner set up his office left vacant by Jazmine Honey who moved on to the pro hockey ranks for the Southern Professional League’s Knoxville Ice Bears. He is often seen quietly filling up water bottles, folding towels, or providing athletes care with a seemingly soft demeanor. He may not look the baddest dog in the pound, but don’t be fooled, he is all bite when it’s game time.
“Oh I like to win, man” Cotner said when asked what his favorite part of being an Athletic Trainer was. “I love my athletes too, don’t get me wrong, but I am still competitive as hell.”
Cotner’s winning attitude began early in his career when he served as the Athletic Trainer for the early 90’s power house Lake Superior State hockey teams in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. His tenure there included working on future NHL legends Brian Rolston and Doug weight. The Lakers took home an NCAA National Championship in 1992 with Cotner as the head AT. The way he tells stories of their title run, you might think he was one of the players.
“Minnesota thought they were gonna walk all over us in the semi-final. They were out watching a movie together and not preparing for us. I hated that. We ended up smoking ‘em!”
Cotner’s next team gig came in the 2000s when he took on a job with USA hockey in Ann Arbor. He began working with the newly formed National Development Team Program (NTDP), one team composed of u17 players and one team composed of u18 players. He didn’t realize it at the time, but his future coworker was right there on the roster: A teenage Kevin Swallow, the current Men’s hockey coach of UNE. Swallow played for NTDP for two seasons before a 5 year college career split between Dartmouth and Maine.
“When I was looking for jobs,” Cotner said, “ I saw UNE had an opening for AT and the previous one had expertise in hockey just like me. Then, I couldn’t believe it when I read who the head hockey coach was. A lot of coincidences coming together.”
Almost twenty years later, Swallow and Cotner are together on the same team again.
“It’s been great to reconnect with Cots after so long,” Said Swallow referring to Cotner by his nickname, “And yea, his competitiveness is no joke. I actually had to stop him from yelling at a ref when we got a bad call against us. He wants to win that bad”
Cotner is also tasked with serving for multiple teams, a common practice for Division III Athletic Trainers. Along with Men’s hockey, Cotner works with Volleyball, Cross Country, Track, and Rugby. Outside of hockey, he worked alongside professional runners at a research and performance institution. This experience makes him ideal for UNE runners.
“Oh we love Dave, he’s the best. I think what I appreciate most is his willingness to come up with new ideas and try new things. He takes a personal approach to each of us and that shows how much he truly cares” said senior cross country runner Kailey Ursek.
Cotner has been in the game long enough to know the role he and other ATs play in a team’s success.
“For me, it’s not all about what happens on the ice or field or whatever. Winning includes getting the athletes and their bodies ready to play. That is my contribution, and I definitely get fired up for it on game day.”
For the man often found quietly at his desk, he brings an incredible amount of effort and will to his job. UNE athletes can be assured they have a trainer focused on being at their best health. And of course, one who wants to win just as bad as they do.
Reflection:
I really enjoyed writing this staff profile with Dave. I will admit, knowing Dave and working with him on the hockey team made the interview process a lot easier than perhaps it would have been with someone who is a total stranger. I was able to conduct interviews conveniently before or after practice while Dave did work on my hip. I can imagine it being a little bit uncomfortable meeting someone for the first time and having to grill them with questions as well as constantly reach out for interviews. I like to hear people’s stories, especially in the case of Dave where a lot of his stories occurred before I was even born. I read sports articles fairly often, so it was pretty cool to write one myself. I think I got lucky that Dave had a previous connection to Coach Swallow. It made the story interesting from a UNE stance without me having to do a whole lot. All I had to do was remember to put that small story in the article and it was golden. Overall, I wish we had another crack at the staff profile, it was really fun!
