Mixin’ it up
Jewell alum mixes medicine with playing field
On any given weekday, Casey Barton ’06 can be found dressed in scrubs attending to patients’ needs as an Emergency Department nurse at Philadelphia’s Albert Einstein Medical Center.
But when the weekend comes, he puts on a different uniform, playing defense for the newly crowned Major Indoor Soccer League’s championship Philadelphia Kixx.
A three-year player for the former Kansas City Comets professional indoor soccer team, Casey hung up his cleats temporarily in 2005 to join William Jewell’s accelerated nursing program.
“I loved playing soccer, but I realized that a day would come when the only game I’d be able to play was in the over-40 co-ed league,” he says with a smile.
Playing tough
Before joining the Comets, Casey, a Wichita native, earned an undergraduate degree in business administration with an emphasis in sports management from Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan. At Tabor, Casey made All-Conference all four years, NAIA All-Region two years and NAIA All-American Honorable Mention two years. In 1999, he was the Tabor College Male Athlete of the Year.
During his last season with the Comets, Casey led the team in games played, blocks, fouls and penalty minutes. “I guess the fouls and penalty minutes are not highly regarded stats, but my roommate and I had a constant battle for who was the toughest player in the league, and fouls and penalty minutes were our benchmark. I did lead the league in fouls, but only because my roommate had a season-ending injury–it would have been close,” he says, laughing.
Because a professional athlete’s career can be fleeting, Casey took a year off to prepare for the many years down the road when soccer won’t be paying the bills. “It was a huge sacrifice, but I know it will be worth it in the long run,” he says.
Jumping on the fast track
Jewell’s one-year accelerated program fit Casey’s career plan perfectly. Of the area’s similar programs, Jewell’s is the only one condensed into one year. The college’s Kansas City location and reputation made Jewell an easy choice. “Right program, right location, right accreditation–Jewell was right for me,” he says.
Nursing is the perfect match for Casey’s active lifestyle. “I can’t sit at a desk,” he says. He hopes he can make a tangible difference in the lives of others during his nursing career. “Nursing is all about caring for people who can’t help themselves and teaching people how to help themselves and live independent, productive lives.”
Juggling work with ‘play’
Following graduation in May of 2006, Casey moved to North Carolina to play outdoor soccer for the Charlotte Eagles of the United Soccer League’s second division. He successfully completed his National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) test and became a licensed nurse, but continued playing soccer in Charlotte through the summer. He moved to Philadelphia in September and began training with the Philadelphia Kixx indoor team. Also at this time, he joined the Emergency Department nursing staff at Albert Einstein Medical Center.
“Typically, we had soccer training in the morning from 10 a.m. to noon,” Casey says. “After practice, I would go home, grab lunch, change and make it to the hospital by 3 p.m. and work until 11:30, working four eight-hour shifts a week.” When the Kixx season began in November, he added weekend games to his already active schedule. The team’s season ended April 21, with the Kixx defeating the Detroit Ignition 13-8 to capture the MISL’s championship title.
“Now I will be taking some time off from playing, and will have hip surgery this summer,” Casey says. Although he was injured in November, he was able to play throughout the season thanks to a rigorous rehab regimen.
“Athletically, I’m in my prime and I want to play as long as I can,” he says. “The Lord has given me everything I have, and I was blessed with the talents to play soccer. The sport has taught me so much through the years, and I hope I can bring my talents and life experiences to a long and productive nursing career.” |
