NATA Presidents
Dean Nesmith
1953
After more than 35 years at the University of Kansas, Dean Nesmith became one of the most respected athletic trainers in the country. Nesmith was famous for spinning countless yarns about Jayhawk heroes of the past while serving at KU. While at Kansas, Nesmith administered to some of the world's greatest athletes, a list that includes such notables as Gale Sayers, Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Ryun, and Jo White, among several others. Nesmith, who during his life was tops in tenure among Big Eight conference athletic trainers, served as athletic trainer at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Nesmith was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 1971 and is now deceased.