Mike Stella, ATC: What an Athletic Training Should Be
Welcome to the True Sports Physical Therapy Podcast. In this episode, Dr. Yoni Rosenblatt sits down with Mike Stella, an athletic trainer and the founder of The Movement Underground in New York. Mike traces his path from Division I training rooms to building a multidisciplinary practice for athletes and active adults. They unpack the economics behind professional sports medicine: why experienced head clinicians spend less time treating, why assistants carry so much day-to-day care, and why top athletes often build their own outside teams. Mike also explains what physical therapists misunderstand about athletic trainers, from the context they gain by seeing athletes every day to the liability and hierarchy behind gatekeeping. The conversation then shifts to Growth Engine, Mike's framework for clinicians learning storytelling, systems, hiring, and value communication without abandoning evidence or ethics. He also shares his vision for movement-led primary care, where good generalists coordinate the system, specialists enter when needed, and resistance training becomes part of long-term self-preservation. If you work in sports medicine, run a clinic, or want better collaboration across credentials, tune in. #TrueSportsPT #MikeStella #AthleticTraining #SportsMedicine #MovementUnderground #PTBusiness #PhysicalTherapy #SportsRehab #RehabPodcast #SportsPT