Michael Polascik joined the West Virginia University football coaching staff as the assistant athletics director/head athletic trainer for football in April 2025.
A native of Snellville, Georgia, Polascik came to WVU after serving as the director of sports medicine/head athletic trainer for football at Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Alabama for four of the past five years. He also worked in athletic training at the Andrews Institute for a year.
At Jacksonville State, he was the sports medicine administration supervisor and responsible for the day-to-day operation of the athletic training unit. He was the physician liaison that coordinated with the Andrews Orthopedic team, was responsible for providing on-field evaluation for all football student-athletes, supervised the sports medicine staff and was in charge of the monthly continuing education program for the entire staff.
At WVU, Polascik manages all aspects of the athletic training unit for the football program. He coordinates the prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and management of athletic-related injuries for assigned student-athletes. Polascik administers emergency care and assists in making medical referrals and manages system of injury records on appropriate student-athletes. He also coordinates communication among parents, physicians, student-athletes, coaches, team dietitian as well as sports mental health professionals.
He also was an assistant athletic trainer at Jacksonville State (2017-19), football intern/assistant athletic trainer at Tennessee (2016-17), graduate assistant athletic trainer at Virginia Tech (2014-16), Georgia College & State Baseball (2014), Georgia Military College Football (2013), Alabama football intern (2013), Tattnall Square Academy Football (2012) and Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Center (2010-12).
Along with his certification in athletic training, Polascik also is certified in functional movement screen and blood flow restriction.
Polascik graduated with his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Georgia College and State University in 2014 and earned his master’s degree in education from Virginia Tech in 2016.
