About Us
Kalani High School’s Sports Medicine staff consists of two full-time Board of Certification (BOC) certified athletic trainers hired by the Department of Education (DOE) and a Team Physician. Certified athletic trainers (ATs) are highly educated and skilled professionals specializing in athletic healthcare. In cooperation with physicians and other allied healthcare personnel, athletic trainers functions as an integral member of the athletic healthcare team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports programs, and other allied healthcare settings.
Athletic Trainers
Marissa Fukunaga, EdD, ATC
Email: marissa.fukunaga@k12.hi.us
Marissa Fukunaga, EdD, ATC, is a certified athletic trainer who has been practicing since 2015. A proud 2011 graduate of Kalani High School, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Chapman University, followed by a Master of Science from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and a Doctorate of Education in Health Professions from A.T. Still University. She began her career at Sacred Hearts Academy (2015-2016) before returning to Kalani in 2016. Dr. Fukunaga has held leadership roles at the league, state, district, and national levels, including positions with the OIA Athletic Trainers’ Association, Hawaii Athletic Trainers’ Association, Far West Athletic Trainers’ Association, and as a representative to the NATA Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee. She also serves as a preceptor for the UH Mānoa athletic training program. Her professional expertise includes serving as a subject matter expert in heat illness prevention and management.
Ben Kuenzli, MS, ATC
Email: ben.kuenzli@k12.hi.us
Ben Kuenzli, ATC, has served as a certified athletic trainer at Kalani HIgh School since 2008. Ben is dual certified in teaching and athletic training, and his prior DOE service includes teaching in Peer Education, a life skills program, at McKinley High School. Ben graduated from Boise State University in 2006, and first visited Hawaii on a national student exchange to University of Hawaii, Manoa in 2001. Ben also completed his Master's in Adapted Physical Education from Manoa in 2012. Ben has contributed to his profession through the OIA Athletic Trainer's Association, serving on the Cross Country Committee evaluating heat illness in runners and as the OIA East representative. Ben finds his passion in assisting our student athletes pursue their dreams and achieve their goals while preparing for their future beyond their years as a Falcon. Ben is an active sailor and spends most of his free time on the water!
Team Physician
Dr. Courtney Taum, MD
Dr. Courtney Taum is a dedicated medical professional and proud alumna of Kalani High School and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she also played basketball for the Rainbow Wahine. She attended the University of Hawaiʻi John A Burns School of Medicine and following her residency in Pediatrics, she completed a Sports Medicine Fellowship with UH Athletics. Dr. Taum now utilizes her combined clinical and athletic experience to serve the local community and currently practices at the University of Hawaiʻi.
Phone: 808-305-0610
Location: Building N, Room 202
General Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday: 2pm-End of practices; Saturday/Holiday/School breaks: Varies based on athletic activities scheduled
Services Provided:
- Injury Prevention strategies
- Monitor injury trends via collection and analysis of athletic injury data and recommend appropriate changes in team training to reduce injury risk
- Select, apply and modify prophylactic and protective equipment and other custom devices for patients/clients to minimize the risk of injury or re-injury
- Management of Athletic Injuries
- Emergency Care
- First Aid
- Injury Evaluation
- Physician Referral as necessary
- Practice and Competition Coverage
- Rehabilitation of Athletic Injuries
- Design and implement therapeutic exercise program
- Utilize therapeutic modalities in treatment plan
Athletic Training Students: Kalani High School is one of many clinical sites for the University of Hawaii at Manoa Professional Athletic Training Program. Masters’ Degree students rotate through Kalani’s Sports Medicine Clinic each semester.
Kalani High School has instituted a Concussion Management Program (CMP) to ensure student-athletes return to athletic participation safely. The CMP aligns KHS with national guidelines and recommendations. Concussion management involves creating a support system around the student-athlete. Parents, teachers, and coaches need to change and modify the environment around the student to maximize their concussion recovery.
Baseline Testing:
KHS requires baseline ImPACT concussion testing for its student-athletes prior to participating in collision/contact sports. ImPACT testing for concussion is a nationally recognized, research based computer test that can be used to assess and manage a concussion. Athletic trainers will coordinate testing dates through the Coaches before season begins.
Helpful links:
Heat Illness
Playing in high temperatures can be dangerous. Sweating is the process our body uses to cool itself, but with high humidity and hot temperatures, athletes’ bodies can have trouble maintaining a safe body temperature. This may lead to heat-related illnesses. Student-athletes who are
unconditioned or getting over illnesses are more likely to experience heat-related illnesses. Student-athletes and coaches should learn the warning signs and symptoms of heat illnesses in order to act quickly and give the appropriate care. The following are heat-related illnesses and websites to help distinguish the warning signs and aid in the proper course of treatment for:
- Heatstroke
- Heat exhaustion
- Heat cramps
- Heat rash
The Hawaii High School Athletic Association recommends athletes take the following precautions to lower the incidence of heat-related illnesses:
- Monitor their body weight before and after activity to ensure they are replacing fluids, especially
during hot and humid events. - Monitor their urine color to ensure proper hydration levels. Replace fluids with water and/or
sports drinks to replace fluids and electrolytes. - Sleep 6-8 hours a night and eat a well-balanced diet.
Infographic: Heat Illness/Hydration
Hydration
Before, during and after training and games, drink water or sports drinks to prevent mental and physical fatigue. Use a personal water bottle to hydrate throughout the day.
- Drink 17-20 oz. of fluid one to two hours before practice/game.
- Drink 7-10 oz. 10-20 min before and every 10-20 minutes during practice/game.
- Consume a sports drink such as Gatorade when your activity goes longer than one hour.
- Drink at least 20-24 oz. for every pound lost through sweat after practice/game.
- Pre-Event Meals: A pre-event meal is important to prevent hunger and to supply energy to muscles. Three to four hours before the game, focus on carbohydrates, moderate protein, low-fat foods and fluids (pasta with a light marinara, a chicken or turkey wrap, vegetables, peanut butter sandwiches, a baked potato, cereal with low fat or fat free milk, crackers, rice, fruit, water, milk, juice, sports drink).
- Post-Exercise Muscle Recovery: Help muscles recover faster by consuming carbs and proteins, such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a cup of low-fat chocolate milk within 30 minutes after intense exercise.Eat a high carbohydrate, moderate protein meal one to two hours later to continue with muscle recovery. Rehydrate immediately following activity.
- Balanced Diet: Focus on refueling with fluids, carbohydrates and protein. Meet energy needs by getting the right combination of calories. The typical suggestion for athletes is 45-65% carbohydrates, 10-35% protein and 20-35% healthy fats.
- Watch fat intake. A high-fat diet is not healthy, but neither is a fat free diet. Go for low-fat foods and generally limit deep fried foods or other foods that “stain a napkin”.
National Athletic Trainers’ Association Infographics
- ACL Injury
- Asthma
- Athlete Burnout
- Cheerleading Injuries
- Dental Injuries
- Face and Head Protection
- Football Helmet Fitting
- Hamstring Injury
- Injury Nutrition
- Lightning Safety
- Mental Health
- Nutrition Clock
- Overuse Injury
- Patellofemoral Pain
- Shin Splints and Stress Fractures
- Skin Diseases
- Skin Injuries
- Sleep
- Stress
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest
- Sun Safety
- Tommy John Injury
- Volleyball Injuries
- Weight Management
