You might notice a new face around the office at Spooner and Shaft Physical Therapy, as Austin Kocchi joins the team.

And as with some of his predecessors, Kocchi will be sharing his knowledge and training with local athletes at Fountain Hills High School.

Growing up in Chandler, Kocchi said he was born and raised in the Valley, going to Arizona State to earn his Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.

“That’s basically the science of human movement,” Kocchi explained.

“That allowed me to segue into my doctorate degree in physical therapy, which I achieved at the University of St. Augustine in Austin, Texas.”

For those who think Kocchi has a familiar face, that might be because this isn’t his first time making the rounds at Spooner and Shaft.

“While I was going to school at ASU, I actually worked here as a technician, which is basically an assistant to one of the therapists,” he explained.

“I did that for two years.”

By the time he was gearing up to graduate at the top of his class, though, the Spooner and Shaft team contacted Kocchi to let him know that they were looking for new hires.

“I jumped on that opportunity as quickly as I could and came back,” Kocchi added.

Kocchi said he had an idea that he wanted to be involved with healthcare and physical activity/wellness as early as high school.

“But I think the biggest thing that helped me realize this is what I wanted to do for a career was working here as a tech,” he added.

“That really put me in the environment, let me learn firsthand what the day in and day out of the job is like, and really gave me an appreciation for what I could be doing.”

Now that he’s finally settled in and comfortable back in the local office, Kocchi said he’s settling into his stride.

“We tend to see between 14 and 16 patients a day,” he added.

“We treat each patient individually as they come, and we try to have as much fun with each person while trying to achieve their long-term functional goals; whether that be getting them back to taking care of their kids or their spouse, or getting back to playing recreational sports, or returning to golf.

“It’s a long, fun day of problem solving and helping people improve.”

When asked what the best part of his job is, Kocchi was quick with an answer.

“The people,” he said.

“Whether it’s my co-workers or the patients, I like having interactions with a variety of different people all day. We get a lot of different personalities that I get to know and build relationships with. That keeps the day fun, fresh and new.”

Once the 2015-16 school year rolls around, Kocchi will be bringing that passion for the job and healthy living to some partnership programs with local schools, working with on-site trainers and student athletes to help keep everyone healthy and ready to play.

“We’ll definitely be involved with the high school and hope to build it from there,” he said.

“We have a new football coach, so it’s a prime opportunity to get on the same page with him and really try to make a difference with the athletics program in working on injury prevention, sports performance and things like that.”

More than anything, Kocchi said he hopes to help local athletes build a better, safer foundation for strength and conditioning, specifically as it pertains to proper body movement.

As for those local athletes, they can look forward to getting to know Kocchi in the fall.