John Kasik Retires After Decades of Caring for Athletes

After several decades of looking after the well-being of others, South Carolina Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sports Medicine John Kasik can now relax and look after his own interests. The long time certified athletic trainer is retiring after a lengthy career that included working with the Gamecocks for the last 19 years, overseeing the overall management and coordination of Carolina’s athletic training/sports medicine program.

“My wife (Sally) and I talked about it, and we just felt like it was the right time,” said Kasik. “I just want to be able to spend time with her and do some things. I’ll find something to do! I’ve seen people that stay on too long, and I don’t want to be that guy.”

“I’ve loved what I’ve done for 45 years,” Kasik continued. “I love taking care of student-athletes. We are in the people business. We’re in the health care business. Student-athletes keep me young. As much as I still enjoy it and try to stay current, it’s just time. There’s an old saying I heard that goes, you’re only young once, but you can be immature forever.”

“John has been an exceptional leader—effective, efficient, and deeply compassionate in a role where all three matter every day,” said Deputy Athletics Director Judy Van Horn. “His quick thinking and extensive medical expertise have earned him the trust and respect of coaches, team physicians, and colleagues alike. Just as memorable are his sharp sense of humor and remarkable recall, which have made working alongside him both reassuring and enjoyable. Under his leadership, sports medicine has grown into a strong, stable program defined by excellence. We are all deeply grateful for his impact and the standard he leaves behind.”

Having covered a multitude of sports in his career, Kasik’s career with the Gamecocks wasn’t his first rodeo. His career in health care began in 1979 as an assistant athletic trainer for the Baltimore Colts, a year before he had earned his degree from West Virginia. He went on to earn his master’s in physical education and athletic training from the University of Miami in 1981, where he served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer before returning to the Colts for two more seasons. He went on to spend 11 years as an athletic trainer for the Seattle Seahawks and later, the Carolina Panthers. During his 22 years in the NFL, Kasik served as an athletic trainer for two Pro Bowl games, and while with the Seahawks, he was a member of the 1988 NFL Training Staff of the Year.

“What I liked about the NFL were the athletes, the competition, winning, traveling, seeing new things, and meeting great people,” Kasik said. “There were very few people that were hard to work with. They appreciated what you did. It was fun.”

“College was a lot different,” Kasik added. “When I interviewed at Stanford, I had no experience in intercollegiate athletics, but injuries are injuries. Injuries, rehabs, and treatment are the same. That being said, you definitely have a lot more people in college. You have to deal with some parents. There are a lot more coaches. At Stanford, we had 19 teams and maybe more than 900 student-athletes. Athletic trainers work hard! In those days, I had athletic trainers that covered three teams. There was no down time.”

Kasik knew he wanted to work in athletic training when he was in high school growing up in Baltimore.

“My dad was a fantastic doctor,” Kasik said. “He was a family practice guy. One of my sisters became a nurse. I just knew I wanted to do it. I had a mentor in high school who served as our athletic trainer. I just liked it.

“Originally, I wanted to work baseball, but then I got an internship with the Baltimore Colts, and a guy named Mike O’Shea was going to bring me in for summer help. Then when I got there, he had left to go to the University of Miami. When I got there to work summer training camp, there were just four of us to work with the whole team. Then they asked me if I wanted to stay on during the season as an internship. So, I dropped out of school to work that season with the Colts. We had one guy quit after the fifth week, so I became the assistant athletic trainer. I wasn’t even certified yet. After the season, I had to get back into school.”

After his work in the NFL, Kasik worked on the television show The Biggest Loser for a season before taking an athletic training job at Stanford University and eventually landing at South Carolina in 2007.

On what he plans to do with so much free time on his hands, Kasik said he probably won’t be spending a lot of time on the golf course.

“I’ve got a lot of stuff around the house that I’ve put off for the last nineteen years,” Kasik deadpanned. “I don’t play golf because I want to be good without practicing. I guess I could shoot 72 every day. I could just walk off the course after 72 shots, whether it’s on the seventh hole or the twelfth hole or whatever it is.

“What I’ll miss the most are the people and the daily interactions you have. I’ll miss talking with the student-athletes. I’m sure they see me as the old guy, and some of my sarcasm might go over their head,” Kasik added with a laugh.

John and Sally have one son, John, Jr., and two daughters, Kathleen and Caroline, as well as five grandchildren.

“My family has been fantastic in all the years I have been doing this,” Kasik concluded. “They have all been super-accepting in what I have to do and missing a lot of stuff. You don’t get a lot of days off.”