The keynote speaker, Juliet Barnes, served as the head athletic trainer for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, which won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Des Plaines, Ill. (March 2, 2026) - More than 100 high school students traded their classroom desks for biomechanics demonstrations and conversations with the Chicago Stars Medical Services director, Feb. 27. The experience marked the launch of Oakton College's inaugural Sports Medicine Conference.

Students from nine high schools participated in the daylong conference at Oakton. The event combined hands-on workshops, academic exploration and a keynote address from a nationally respected leader in sports medicine, Juliet Barnes. 

"This conference allows high school students to see real possibilities for their futures in sports medicine while highlighting Oakton's mission to serve its community," said Christine Paciero, Oakton's director of Athletics. "By creating these experiences, we're helping students take confident first steps toward purposeful and meaningful degrees and careers." 

The event offered students an inside look at the science, technology and hands-on care that drive athletic performance and recovery at every level, from youth sports to the professional arena. Facilitators included Oakton faculty and staff as well as faculty from Loyola University, North Park University, and North Central College and a practitioner from Advocate Health. Workshop sessions spanned a broad range of disciplines, including:

• Athletic training techniques

• Sports psychology and mental performance

• Sports nutrition 

• Physical therapy

• Sports data analytics 

• Robotics, biomechanics and hand physiology

• Cadaver lab and health science facility tours 

"It was an honor to speak at the Sports Medicine Symposium at Oakton College and share my journey as an athletic trainer, along with the experiences that have shaped my career," said Barnes. "The opportunities I have had, the places I have traveled and the individuals who have supported and influenced me throughout my professional path have been especially meaningful. I valued the opportunity to share these experiences and insights with the high school students in attendance." 

Barnes is a Chicago native and Evanston Township High School graduate, certified athletic trainer, and performance enhancement specialist with over two decades of experience in sports medicine. Before joining Chicago Stars FC as director of medical services, she worked with collegiate and professional teams, including Northwestern University Athletics, the Chicago Sky and the U.S. Soccer Federation. She was the head athletic trainer for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, which won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the Stars, she leads the club's medical staff to support player health and performance. 

Students from Niles North, Maine East, Maine West, Notre Dame Academy, Lake Forest, Evanston Township, New Trier and Willows Academy high schools participated in the conference. Beyond career exploration, the event also showcased Oakton's academic programs that prepare students for transfer or direct entry into health sciences and athletics-related professions. 

Following strong participation and enthusiastic feedback, Oakton plans to make the Sports Medicine Conference an annual event, continuing to expand access to career pathways in athletics, health sciences and emerging sports technologies.