Photo by: Luke White
For Castillo, Athletic Training a Worthwhile Career
3/31/2026 10:44:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball
Meet Alfred Castillo. He currently serves as ACU's senior associate athletic director of sports medicine, but he's been an athletic trainer for 30 years, mostly at the collegiate level.
Athletic training often goes unnoticed unless one of two things happens–an athlete gets hurt and needs help or March rolls around, which is National Athletic Training Month. Athletic trainers (ATs) are often on the sidelines at every sporting event and see first-hand the highs and lows of sports closer than almost anyone.
"I like to be able to be outside and be around athletic events," Castillo said. "I think what most people don't understand is we get to be almost the first and foremost spectators of any event, even though we're working."
Castillo said he landed in the athletic training career path unintentionally, but after realizing he didn't want to sit at a desk all day, every day, he started leaning toward a life as an AT.
"I didn't always think about being a head AT," he said, "but I think it slowly evolved in my head after learning the situation, the scenarios, what the day-to-day was in the college ranks, and just gaining confidence in being able to manage those tasks and building on that."
He started at a clinic and then moved into the high school setting before heading to college programs.
Football helmets atop his cabinets in his office show the schools he's worked – Texas A&M, Missouri, Southeast Missouri State, Bowling Green.
Abilene Christian is his latest stop where he currently works directly with the men's basketball team while also overseeing the department's AT staff of full-time employees and student workers.
"Part of my attraction to ACU was that the Christian philosophy that is a huge part of what this university expects," he said. "I've always remembered the saying that the most powerful person in that room is he or she that's willing to serve. I think service is the best way that we can provide an example of how to be a good human, provide care, provide patience, provide direction and leadership to these young men and women."
The days can be long and fluid - treatment before, during and after practices and games, and the travel involved - but for Castillo being there for an athlete when they're facing a crisis such as a severe injury makes the sacrifice worthwhile.
"The feeling you've made an impact and given people peace of mind through whatever hardship they're going through -- mental, emotional, physical. I strongly feel that's what makes this job most gratifying."
After 30 years in the business, Castillo now has kids that are college-aged, so he finds joy in teasing the student athletes as if they were his own.
"I kind of play aloof with these kids and pretend that I don't know what they're talking about and have them explain their lingo and then try to use it in the most ridiculous way possible. I'm just really horsing around, but I really am kind of playing with them."
However, he knows that it goes beyond just messing around since these college athletes are either freshmen away from home for the first time or seniors that are about to enter the "real world" after graduation.
"These kids are still growing up, they're maturing, and I feel there's a little bit of mentorship involved in my position.I still have a lot to contribute to them just from an example and patience and accountability standpoint. There's just a lot to be given from my perspective.
"ACU has been one of the best places I've been at because these athletes are the easiest I've had to work with. Seriously, bar none. Some of the best behaved. This is actually almost a breath of fresh air in my mind."
Athletic training often goes unnoticed unless one of two things happens–an athlete gets hurt and needs help or March rolls around, which is National Athletic Training Month. Athletic trainers (ATs) are often on the sidelines at every sporting event and see first-hand the highs and lows of sports closer than almost anyone.
"I like to be able to be outside and be around athletic events," Castillo said. "I think what most people don't understand is we get to be almost the first and foremost spectators of any event, even though we're working."
Castillo said he landed in the athletic training career path unintentionally, but after realizing he didn't want to sit at a desk all day, every day, he started leaning toward a life as an AT.
"I didn't always think about being a head AT," he said, "but I think it slowly evolved in my head after learning the situation, the scenarios, what the day-to-day was in the college ranks, and just gaining confidence in being able to manage those tasks and building on that."
He started at a clinic and then moved into the high school setting before heading to college programs.
Football helmets atop his cabinets in his office show the schools he's worked – Texas A&M, Missouri, Southeast Missouri State, Bowling Green.
Abilene Christian is his latest stop where he currently works directly with the men's basketball team while also overseeing the department's AT staff of full-time employees and student workers.
"Part of my attraction to ACU was that the Christian philosophy that is a huge part of what this university expects," he said. "I've always remembered the saying that the most powerful person in that room is he or she that's willing to serve. I think service is the best way that we can provide an example of how to be a good human, provide care, provide patience, provide direction and leadership to these young men and women."
The days can be long and fluid - treatment before, during and after practices and games, and the travel involved - but for Castillo being there for an athlete when they're facing a crisis such as a severe injury makes the sacrifice worthwhile.
"The feeling you've made an impact and given people peace of mind through whatever hardship they're going through -- mental, emotional, physical. I strongly feel that's what makes this job most gratifying."
After 30 years in the business, Castillo now has kids that are college-aged, so he finds joy in teasing the student athletes as if they were his own.
"I kind of play aloof with these kids and pretend that I don't know what they're talking about and have them explain their lingo and then try to use it in the most ridiculous way possible. I'm just really horsing around, but I really am kind of playing with them."
However, he knows that it goes beyond just messing around since these college athletes are either freshmen away from home for the first time or seniors that are about to enter the "real world" after graduation.
"These kids are still growing up, they're maturing, and I feel there's a little bit of mentorship involved in my position.I still have a lot to contribute to them just from an example and patience and accountability standpoint. There's just a lot to be given from my perspective.
"ACU has been one of the best places I've been at because these athletes are the easiest I've had to work with. Seriously, bar none. Some of the best behaved. This is actually almost a breath of fresh air in my mind."
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