Clinton’s Sexton finds purpose in helping athletes thrive
Bailey Sexton
“When I was in high school, I was in the marching band, so I was always at the football games, and I saw what the athletic trainers did,” said Sexton, who has served as Clinton High School’s athletic trainer for the past four years.
“My mom was a nurse when I was growing up,” she said. “I’ve always known that I’ve been called to help people. I love sports, so this lets me combine helping people with my passion for sports.”
A graduate of Loudon High School, Sexton earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from East Tennessee State University. She went on to receive her master’s degree in athletic training from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Although she gained experience working with collegiate athletes, Sexton found her calling in the high school setting.
“I worked in college and I enjoyed it,” she said. “I worked with football and men’s basketball, but I really like working in high school because you build relationships with the coaches, the staff, the kids and the parents.”
Sexton is assigned to Clinton High through the athletic training program at Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance, which also provides trainers for Loudon, Knoxville Catholic, Webb School of Knoxville, Grace Christian Academy and Tellico Village Retirement Community.
A lifelong sports fan, Sexton never attended UT’s Knoxville campus, but her Volunteer pride runs deep.
“I’m a huge sports fan,” she said. “I love college sports, and it’s all about the Vols. I have a tattoo of Neyland Stadium on my arm if that tells you anything.”
Outside of sports, Sexton enjoys baking — particularly sourdough bread — and spending time outdoors with her fiancé. The couple keeps chickens and has two dogs.
Being a high school athletic trainer means long hours and often dealing with difficult injuries, but Sexton said the rewards are worth it.
“It may seem like a thankless job sometimes, but the people in Clinton are extremely thankful,” she said. “I see it in their actions and their words.
“When you’re an athletic trainer in high school, you do it to help people,” Sexton said. “You don’t do it for the money, and you have to be there for a shoulder to lean on when needed.”
