Does Outreach Timing Affect Athletic Trainer Responses? A Campaign Data Analysis | EducationDataLists

The workload evidence strengthens the case for testing nontraditional timing.

A 2026 five-year longitudinal study of athletic-training services in U.S. high schools found increases in student-athletes, sports, athletic trainers, and weekly athletic-training service hours over the study period. The researchers reported that average actual athletic-training service hours increased by 3.03 hours per week, while contracted hours increased by 3.63 hours.

Separately, a NATA/ACSM workforce statement reported that more than half of surveyed collegiate athletic trainers cared for more than 100 student-athletes, while 65% said they had received additional responsibilities without increased compensation.

These findings do not prove that an athletic trainer will respond more frequently at a particular hour. They do, however, provide a reason to avoid assuming that a standard 9-to-5 inbox pattern applies.

A useful campaign hypothesis is therefore:

The best time to reach an athletic trainer may depend more on practice, competition, and clinical schedules than on generic email benchmarks.

Should Marketers Send in the Morning or Afternoon?

The answer depends on the desired action.

MailerLite's broad data suggests that mornings are strong for visibility, while later hours can produce stronger click behavior.

For an Athletic Trainer Email Database, marketers can turn that finding into a controlled test:

Test A: Morning

Send between 8 and 11 a.m. local time.