Burlingame High School has a new certified athletic trainer on its sidelines as fall sports begin.

Josette Rodriguez-Gray will serve as the Panthers' Certified Athletic Trainer for the 2026-27 school year, Burlingame High School Athletics announced Thursday, Aug. 13. She is in her second year as a CAT and her first with the San Mateo Union High School District.

Before joining BHS, Rodriguez-Gray worked as an athletic trainer at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and for Life Fitness through sports medicine company NovaCare, according to a follow-up post from the school's athletics account on X.

Certified athletic trainers are licensed health care professionals who manage injury prevention, emergency response and return-to-play decisions for student-athletes. The role requires a master's degree from an accredited program, according to the National Athletic Trainers' Association, and having a trainer on staff can reduce the risk of serious injuries and lower medical costs for families by keeping initial care in-house.

Rodriguez-Gray's first game-day test comes quickly. The SMUHSD school year opens Wednesday, Aug. 19, and BHS varsity football kicks off Friday, Aug. 28, at Piedmont Hills at 7 p.m. The Panthers' first home football game is Friday, Sept. 4, against Carlmont at 6:55 p.m.

Beyond football, fall competition at BHS includes girls flag football (first match Wednesday, Sept. 9, vs. Menlo-Atherton), girls water polo (Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Mills) and girls tennis (Tuesday, Sept. 8, vs. Sequoia).

Rodriguez-Gray can be reached at [email protected] or 650-558-2326, per the district's athletics directory.