by Matthew Parsons and Sione Hala

Through thick and thin, Mr. Edwards serves the Brave community in many ways, doing his best to give the best possible experience to the athletes and students under his care.

Hailing from Compton, California, Mr. Edwards moved around a lot as a child. He bounced between the houses of his mother and father, which, although caused him grief as a child, allowed him to become the family person he is now, and greatly value his familial relationships.  

As a child, Mr. Edwards’ most impactful hobbies were his love of LEGOs and athletics. He played a variety of sports such as football, basketball and baseball, but his main priority was always football, which he played up until his senior year of high school. As a child he had always been a winner, as he acquired four championships in his youth football career. 

Mr. Edwards attended Starr King Elementary School in Long Beach, and for his high school years, Mr. Edwards moved north to Palmdale, to attend William J (Pete) Knight High School. Even though Mr. Edwards originally wasn’t a fan of this move he now finds himself understanding the decision to do so.

“I was away from all my family in Los Angeles. It caused more tension because I was living there with my mom, away from all my other family. But I definitely think it was a good decision overall. Not going to high school in Compton gave me a little bit more opportunity and helped me avoid some traumatic things that others I know went through,” said Mr. Edwards.

After graduating from high school, Mr. Edwards attended Fresno State University to get his undergraduate degree. Following that, Mr. Edwards decided to get his master’s degree in an online program from California University of Pennsylvania.

Becoming an athletic trainer wasn’t the first career choice for Mr. Edwards. As a child, he wanted to be a marine biologist, but as he grew up, he chose between being an architect, stemming from his love of LEGOs, or athletic training. Eventually his love for sports won over, and he set his eyes on athletic training. 

“I wanted to help find a way to save our oceans, but then I realized that I’m not a fan of being out there in the open sea,” said Mr. Edwards

Mr. Edwards’ idea for becoming an athletic trainer also stems from a particular experience he had as a junior in high school. During a wrestling practice he dislocated his shoulder, but there was no one there that was able to help him. Eventually, his coach came over and helped him put it into place, but the incident sparked his desire to be the person who can be there for others when they’re hurt and need help.

It is a tough job, but Mr. Edwards loves it. As an athletic trainer, he has a wide range of experiences that most people will never have.

“It’s been pretty crazy. I’ve worked with almost every possible sport, from badminton to lacrosse, and from any level, youth to Olympic. It’s been an amazing journey. I love it. Every day is different, and it’s a huge network,” said Mr. Edwards.

Eventually, Mr. Edwards’ path led him to Bosco. He had always known about Bosco due to him being very involved in athletics as a high school student, but he never seeked out anything at Bosco. Prior to his arrival at Bosco, he was an athletic trainer at Jordan High School in Long Beach. However due to Ms. Melody Mohebbi, Bosco’s head athletic trainer, leaving for a conference, he received a request to cover a baseball doubleheader at Bosco. At the games, the coaches told him that he did an excellent job. Then, Ms. Mel asked him to come along as an athletic trainer at Bosco to help lighten the load on her shoulders.

“He’s a dedicated and smart man who really saved my life from day one. We work as a team, and that’s why we’re really good,” said Ms. Mel.

Currently, Mr. Edwards holds a great deal of responsibility on campus.

“I’m here in my fifth year. I’m teaching five classes and covering a lot of the sports here. My roles have definitely grown exponentially. I still love what I do, but it’s definitely a lot more draining. But that’s a part of growing into careers, gaining more responsibility as people become more confident in your skills,” said Mr. Edwards.

Mr. Edwards is a very loved and highly respected trainer by all students and athletes at Bosco and beyond.

“He makes it (Bosco) a safe and comfortable environment, and he makes it feel like a personal interaction,” said sophomore Grant Hidalgo-Villanueva.

Not only is Mr. Edwards a great trainer, but he is also a great teacher. Along with Ms. Mel, they teach the students of the Sports Medicine Pathway. By Ms. Mel’s own admission, she praises his teaching ability as better than her own.

“Mr. Edwards helped me learn in a relevant and meaningful way. He made learning in the course both easy and fun. To this day, I can go to Mr. Edwards for help, and he would be able to help me with anything I need,” said senior Michael Carbone, a senior in the Sports Medicine pathway.

Mr. Edwards doesn’t exclusively work at Bosco either. He picks up Emergency Medical Technician shifts on some nights and the weekends, while also serving as an athletic trainer for USA Water Polo.

“Every month, I’ll probably take one or two trips traveling to different states with the USA Water Polo team. I get to see where Olympians train. It’s an amazing experience,” said Mr. Edwards.

Mr. Edwards is very fond of the Bosco community, and he describes it as a special place for all those who attend.

“There’s a real sense of family. That’s a lot different than a lot of other schools I’ve worked for. In this place, people are so well connected with each other and are very tight knit. A lot of people think of it as a second home,” said Mr. Edwards.

Of course, being an athletic trainer, he needs to be very up close and personal with others, so COVID-19 changed his life and experience as a trainer a great deal. It’s hard for him to be as personable as he would like, and as is needed, he takes more precautions to do his job safely.

Mr. Edwards is an honorable trainer. Although he went through a lot growing up, he proved it didn’t faze him. Mr. Edwards is dedicated to the Brave community, and the work ethic he developed allows him carry on the many tasks that he is responsible for, which make Bosco a far better place.