On game day at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, it’s not just the football players who need top notch athletic training. And no one knows that better than Kendall Goldberg (‘03), head athletic trainer for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and Rhythm & Blues Dance Team.

“I see a lot of neck injuries from the hair flips as well as chronic hip injuries,” Goldberg said. “They’re known for their high kicks and jump splits but that definitely can be tough on the body.” 

Goldberg’s job is to try to prevent as many injuries as possible while also treating things that do occur and to prevent them from getting worse and the cheerleaders missing practice and games.

“The atmosphere is electric,” Goldberg said. “I am able to go out with them to an outdoor performance before the game. It’s the most rewarding thing to see them perform throughout the game after getting them ready that day.” 

The Dallas Cowboys have contracted athletic training services through Goldberg’s company since 2017. In 2018, they added the coed hip hop team called DCRB (Rhythm and Blues). She took care of that team for a year and in 2019 was asked to take over athletic training for both teams.

She’s even been featured on CMT’s TV series “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.”

“I have been on the show multiple times the past two seasons before CMT stopped filming in 2022,” Goldberg said. “Not something I aspired to ever do, but glad that it brought
attention to the team and having a certified athletic trainer care for the team.” 

After graduating Vanguard, Goldberg attended Midwestern State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training in 2007.  She got a Masters in Liberal Arts from Texas Christian University in 2010. Upon graduation, Goldberg served as assistant athletic trainer at Stephenville High School and then joined Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation as director of athletic training in 2010, where she still works while also serving the Dallas Cowboys organization.

“I loved sports and I loved medicine, but didn’t want to go through med school so I chose sports medicine,” Goldberg said. “So I became a licensed and certified athletic trainer.” 

Goldberg said she loves seeing her athletes and patients succeed in what they do, especially when they overcome an injury. 

“There’s an incredible bond between athlete and athletic trainer,” Goldberg said. “We spend more time together at practices and games than they do sometimes with family and friends. I’m with them when they’re at the best and when they’re at their worst.”

In addition to providing care as the head athletic trainer for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, Goldberg also is director for an outreach athletic training program for Baylor Scott and White Rehab. 

“I have a staff of 200 and we provide athletic training services for every age, sport, level there is, including tactical athletes such as police and firefighters,” Goldberg said. “Athletic trainers are in more demand now than ever as we’ve shown that our profession is vital for safety and care of all active populations not only in sports.” 

While it’s a lot of hard work to become an athletic trainer, Goldberg said it always pays off when she’s helped someone return to what they love after a traumatic injury. 

“We’re more than just sports,” she said. “Athletic trainers work in other settings such as military, industrial like Amazon, and in physician offices.” 

Goldberg said she would not be where she is without Vanguard.

“The school not only challenged me academically, but it really taught me time management and prepared me for college in a way that made the next six years of my education much easier than it would have if I hadn’t attended,” she said. 

Her favorite Vanguard Teacher is Mr. Perdichi, hands down, Goldberg said. 

“I absolutely loved art and he let me create whatever I could dream up,” she said. “I still to this day have two tables I made way back in 2002.”

Goldberg’s advice for current Vanguard students is simple:

“Embrace what Vanguard has given you because it really will help you succeed in life,” she said.