Resources for Media

 

Mitchell Report: Importance of proper terminology

December 17, 2007

 

In light of the recent and prolific coverage of the Mitchell Report and NATA’s efforts to ensure accurate terminology regarding the athletic training profession, the following note was distributed to major media outlets around the country. We hope this will clarify for them the difference between athletic trainers and personal trainers to ensure accurate reporting in the days and weeks ahead.

                                                           

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) has followed news of the Mitchell Report with great concern and interest, especially since some media have incorrectly reported that Brian McNamee is an athletic trainer.

 

Mr. McNamee is not, nor has he ever been an athletic trainer, as confirmed by NATA and Board of Certification (BOC) records and the New York Yankees. He is in fact a PERSONAL TRAINER. You should be aware that the term “athletic trainer” is a title-protected term by statute in 43 states. In your coverage of this very timely sports and health issue, we appreciate any references to McNamee to be accurate. The Mitchell report correctly identifies McNamee as a personal trainer, and we hope media will continue to refer to him by his correct profession - PERSONAL training. An accurate description of McNamee is vitally important to the reputation and credibility of the 35,000 athletic trainers working with sports medicine patients and clients.

 

As you may know, athletic trainers are medical professionals who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries; personal trainers are not medically based and focus solely on fitness and conditioning.

 

If you are working on any related stories, NATA has issued an official statement (http://www.nata.org/statements/official/steroidstatement.pdf) on steroids and performance enhancing substances. Our biggest concern is the health and safety of athletes, which NATA considers compromised by use of such substances. We support the ban on steroids in sports and consider this one of the most important issues facing the sports world today. Our members focus on the health and well being of the athlete and the patients our members serve. This is especially true, but not limited to, Major League Baseball given the high visibility of the Mitchell report being issued last week.  

 

Athletic trainers (who should never be referred to as “trainers”) also have higher educational and certification standards than personal trainers; they maintain certification through the Board of Certification, an organization independent of NATA. They have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, with 70% having a master’s or higher. Personal trainers have no formal certification or educational requirements.

 

Brian McNamee is a PERSONAL trainer.

 

Thank you for helping us to maintain the integrity of our profession. Please let us know if we can offer comment to current or future stories to reinforce these critical health messages. We remain committed to the safety of the athlete and the elimination of steroids and performing enhancement drugs in sports and will do anything we can to communicate that message.

 

For further information please contact NATA Public Relations Manager Ellen Satlof at ellen@nata.org.