Lorraine Thompson (LT)

LT was born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD. She obtained a BS in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology from North Dakota State University, and earned an AAS in Surgical Technology. She served as student athletic trainer for her high school and was involved in multiple sports including soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, track. At NDSU, she played soccer for the Bison.

As a female trainer who strives to break down stereotypes, LT specializes in working with female athletes. Her own experiences with influential coaches and trainers, as well as her passion for sports, led her to pursue a career in training. In her work, LT focuses on three aspects: technique, mindset, and mental well-being.

The most inspiring part of LT’s job is when her athletes come to her after a good or bad weekend, knowing that they can share without bias. She enjoys building relationships with her athletes and being a safe space for them. Her #1 highlight was when her first athlete got a college scholarship.

For LT, success is a combination of stability, happiness, and not being satisfied or stagnant. She truly cares and is straightforward and no-nonsense in her approach. The best piece of advice LT has received is to “stop getting in your own way–get out of your head,” while the worst advice she has received was to give up because she wouldn’t amount to anything.

If she could go back and tell her 13-year-old self something, it would be to trust herself and remember that it’s a slalom course, not a downhill. She can relate to Scooby Doo, because even though she may not seem like she knows what she’s doing, she always figures it out in the end.