Staff Spotlight: Fafa Tsikata

Fafa Tsikata joined the Temple Athletics staff as an assistant athletic trainer in July, 2017. She works primarily with the field hockey and women's track teams.
Tsikata came to Temple from Bucknell University, where she spent four years as an assistant athletic trainer working with the baseball and women's soccer teams. She earned her master's degree in health promotion: sports psychology from California University of Pennsylvania in 2013 when she was one year into her position at Bucknell, after earning her bachelor's degree in athletic training from Lock Haven University in 2010.

While completing requirements for her master's, Tsikata worked for ATI Physical Therapy in Newark, Del., as an outreach athletic trainer. Her role led to stints at both Red Lion Christian Academy and Mount Pleasant High School in addition to clinical responsibilities. Prior to enrolling at Cal U, Tsikata served as an athletic training intern at Savannah State University where she had involvement with the baseball, football and women's basketball teams.

Tsikata, who earned her Doctorate of Athletic Training from Temple in 2021, has been a board certified athletic trainer since 2010, and has held a Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine license since 2012. She is a member of both the National Athletic Trainers Association and the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society.

When did you first realize you wanted to work in the athletic training field?
Probably my senior year in high school. I was a field hockey athlete, and I also ran track and played lacrosse. I was injured a lot, so I spent a good amount of time with my athletic trainer. So I felt comfortable being in the athletic training room so it started from there.

Talk about your journey and your arrival at Temple?
I went to Lock Haven University for my undergraduate degree, and I was very lucky to find myself at one of the best athletic training programs in the country. I spent a lot of time in the athletic training room from the beginning. It was a place I was comfortable being in. I was challenged a lot and I had professors, that I still talk to even now, that pushed me to be the best health care professional I could be, providing care for student-athletes basically from day one.

From there I graduated and did an internship at Savannah State. I really enjoyed working at an HBCU. It is an experience I think I really needed as a professional, for myself and for someone working in an environment that was different than I went to school in.

When I returned home, I took a hiatus as I was having a hard time finding a job following my internship. I finally found a job at ATI Physical Therapy as an outreach athletic trainer and worked at two different high schools over 18 months. From there I went to a school in Northern Delaware, Mount Pleasant. I learned a lot during my time in high school athletics, including managing my time that was consistent with working in a high-paced environment as it was me and about 150-200 kids. So, it was a place to learn. While I was there, I decided to get my master's degree as I wanted to work in college athletics.

I started my master's in sports psychology from Cal. U of Pa. It was a 16-month program and while I was in it, I found a position at Bucknell. I worked there for four years handling women's soccer and baseball. I loved it there. It was a great place to be, and I had a great time. But then, after my four years at Bucknell, I decided I wanted to return to Philadelphia as my family is from the area. I was very lucky to find a position here at Temple. I had a connection with a Lock Haven alum who worked in education here. They reached out to the staff here and I have now been here for six years. While I have been here, I have worked a couple of different sports, but field hockey I have stayed with the entire time.

I graduated from the DAT (doctorate in athletic training) program in 2021. So, I worked on my doctorate through the pandemic which is wild so you can officially call me Dr. Tsikata and I am very very happy and so are my parents.

What have you enjoyed the most during your time at Temple?
The thing that I enjoy the most here is working with field hockey, and of course my co-workers. Hockey aside, my co-workers and I spend a lot of time together and we make it a point to enjoy one and others company. I have been here for awhile and been on may hiring committees and we make a point of interviewing and selecting candidates based on their skills but also their ability to work with us as well as our staffs and teams.
On the hockey side of it, I really do enjoy working with the team. I have been here for several different staffs, so it is different with every cycle, but I have had the opportunity to watch a number of student athletes come into this institution and our program and grow significantly. I have been able to see this program grow. When I got here our record was not great, but it has significantly improved over the years. I am so proud of the work my kids do and I am so thankful for the coaching staff that I have.

What is the toughest thing about my job?
Covid was a time that was very trying for the profession so recognizing the limits I can go with people and acknowledging the needs of myself in the setting. The people that I work with and the kids I work with know that I give them everything I can, but I think recognizing my own self and taking care of myself is probably one of the hardest things for me to do.

What is the most rewarding thing about your job?
Watching my kids win and making sure they get back on the field when they have to. As long as they are healthy that is all that I care about. If they stay healthy and they win. The injuries are way less when they are healthy, and they are winning.

Temple University Athletics

Staff Spotlight: Fafa Tsikata

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