If you watched the 10th winter X Games in Aspen on ESPN January 27th through 30th, odds are you saw the band of folks in red jackets rescuing injured athletes. Bundled up in one of those jackets was Villa Grove Junior High Athletic Director Travis Swick.

“We’re supposed to stay off camera,” said Swick. “Unfortunately, that isn’t always possible.”

Swick for the past three years has been part of the ESPN Sports Medicine team at extreme game events (AKA X-Treme Games) around the country. “I do 3 or 4 a year, but they call me to do as many as 10 a year. They understand that my first love and loyalty is to my teaching responsibilities. I’m in the loop for all of the extreme sporting events held around the country.”

Swick says there are two goals for the people in red – first, to do what they can to prevent catastrophic injuries, and secondly facilitate the speedy rescue and evacuation of severely injured athletes. Which in extreme sports is not all that uncommon, and can involve working with difficult terrains.

Swick is a native of Newton Illinois, straight down Illinois 130 from Villa Grove about 64 miles. He came to Villa Grove via the University of New Mexico, where he received his dual program masters degree in Curriculum/Instruction and Exercise Science.

“I went to the University of New Mexico for graduate school, and that’s when I got hooked up with Dr. Susan McGowen.” McGowen is the Director of Sports Medicine for ESPN, as well as the head of the Department of Physical Performance and Development in the UNM College of Education.

Before going to graduate school, Swick had taught at the Shelbyville schools for four years, splitting his time between the junior high and high school athletics and physical education programs.

It turns out that Shelbyville connection is what led Swick to Villa Grove. Grade School Principal Sheila Greenwood was the principal at Shelbyville when he was there. “We stayed in touch when he left for graduate school,” Greenwood said.

“He was outstanding at Shelbyville, and I was absolutely thrilled to get him to come here. He’s a great role model for the kids and we’re grateful to have him here.”

This is Swick’s first year at the Villa Grove Schools.

Swick wrapped up the conversation, “It’s really great working with these people (the extreme sports athletes). They really appreciate what we do for them. These are professional athletes who aren’t on a pedestal, and it’s a lot of fun to work with them."