NATA Fact sheet (pdf)
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA)
- The professional membership organization for athletic trainers and others who support the athletic training profession
- Established in 1950
- Headquarters: Carrollton, Texas
- Staff: 44 full-time employees
- Annual budget: $10M
Membership
- Total number of members: 45,000
- Certified members: 79%
- Female members: 55%
- International members: certified - 1.2%; non-certified - 0.1%
- Student members: certified - 4%; non-certified - 20%
Learn more about NATA membership.
Definition of Athletic Trainers
Health care professionals who render service or treatment, under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician, in accordance with their education and training and the states’ statutes, rules and regulations. As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.
Learn more about athletic training.
Secondary School Statistics
- NATA/KSI benchmark study published in 2015 in Journal of Athletic Training:
- 37 percent of public secondary schools in the U.S. have a full-time athletic trainer, which is the gold standard of care recommended by NATA.
- NATA/KSI study published in 2017 in the Journal of Athletic Training:
- 28 percent of private secondary schools in the U.S. have a full-time athletic trainer, which is the gold standard of care recommended by NATA.
Governmental Affairs
- Athletic trainers are licensed or otherwise regulated in 49 states and the District of Columbia; efforts continue to secure regulation in California.
- Of the 49 regulated states, only Texas provides for initial licensure without the Board of Certification (BOC) credential (ATC).
- No state mandates athletic trainers in secondary schools. There are some jurisdictions with related requirements (such as D.C. and Hawaii) – check with NATA staff for details.
- NATA hosts an annual Capitol Hill Day in Washington, DC, as an opportunity for ATs to advocate for their profession.
- Athletic trainers are eligible and encouraged to apply for their National Provider Identifier (NPI) – it is quick, easy and free. The NPI is used by all health care professionals in adherence to HIPAA requirements and the simplification of transmission of electronic health information. The designated taxonomy code for an athletic trainer is “255A2300X – Specialist/Technologist – Athletic Trainer.” Students can apply for their NPI under the taxonomy code “390200000X Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program.”
- The NATA Political Action Committee (NATAPAC) is the political voice of the athletic training profession, seeking better working conditions, fair access and the right to practice for all athletic trainers. The voluntary contributions of NATA members are the only legal source of funds to support these activities. It is separately incorporated and is managed by its own board of directors.
Learn more about NATA's governmental affairs efforts.
Youth Sports Safety
- NATA continues to position the athletic trainer as THE resource for comprehensive athletic health care for youth athletes.
- The Youth Sports Safety Alliance was founded by NATA in 2009 and comprises nearly 300 member organizations.
- NATA held the eighth Youth Sports Safety Summit in March 2017.
- The NATA Safe Sports School Award is a premier award that symbolizes excellence in athletic health care. To date, more than 1,200 secondary schools have applied for and received the award.
- AtYourOwnRisk.org educates, provides resources and equips the public to act and advocate for safety in work, life and sport. The site includes pertinent information for parents, student athletes, school administrators, employers, legislators and others on the benefits of sports and physical activity and how athletic trainers can play a substantial role in mitigating risk. Visitors can take customized quizzes to determine their risk of athletic injury. An interactive map of all 50 states provides detailed information about recommended sports safety policies; indicates percentages of schools with a full time athletic trainer; and lists the number of NATA Safe Sports schools in that state.
NATA Research & Education Foundation
- Approximate number of scholarships/grants awarded annually:
- Scholarships: 65
- Grants: Approximately $175,000 in grants funded through the NATA Foundation; additional awards exceeding $12,000 funded through endowments.
- Free Communications: more than 500 oral, poster and thematic poster presentations at convention.
Learn more about the NATA Foundation.
Published Statements
- Position statements are scientifically based, peer reviewed research recommendations developed by a team of authors who are experts on the subject. The NATA Foundation Pronouncements Committee has oversight of position statement development. Recently published position statements include Management of Acute Skin Trauma and Preventing and Managing Sport-Related Dental and Oral Injuries.
- Official statements are brief statements that give NATA’s official stance on timely topics.
- Support statements illustrate support between NATA and outside organizations on a particular topic.
- Consensus statements are the products of inter-association task forces spearheaded by NATA. The Inter-Association Task Force Document on Emergency Health and Safety: Best-Practice Recommendations for Youth Sports Leagues was recently published. Those currently underway include:
- Organization and Administration of Athletic Health Care Administrative Services in Colleges/Universities
- Managing Prescription and Non-Prescription Medications
Professional Development
- Approximately 28 percent of CEUs earned through the end of the 2015 reporting period were from NATA professional development offerings, including the clinical symposia and Professional Development Center.
- NATA is among the top providers of BOC evidence-based practice category CEUs.
- NATA professional development offerings include: convention programming, Athletic Training Educators’ Conference, webinars, home study courses, workshops and iLEAD.
- The Leadership Academy offers courses for emerging and advanced association leaders. The first offering from the academy is the Leadership Development Certificate. The certificate takes 12- 24 months to complete and focuses on vision, communication, collaboration and strategic thinking.
Learn more about NATA's professional development offerings.
Convention
- Average number of attendees at NATA Convention: 11,000 (includes members, exhibitors and guests)
- Average number of exhibiting companies: 325
- Attendees can earn 25 CEUs for general registration; additional CEUs may be earned (advanced track, pre-conference workshops, mini-courses), and EBP CEUs are available.
Communication Channels
- NATA News: monthly, award-winning membership magazine (print and digital)
- Social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram
- Segmented newsletters (published digitally each quarter)
- Nata.org (including blog)
- E-newsletters (Range of Motion and Member Monthly)
- Journal of Athletic Training (published digitally each month)
- Athletic Training Education Journal (published digitally each quarter)
- Sports Medicine Legal Digest (published digitally each quarter)
Learn more about NATA publications.
NATA
National Athletic Training Month
- Launched in 2001; held annually in March.
- External and internal communications opportunity to promote the profession.
- Annual public relations and social media contests recognize member participation.
Learn more about National Athletic Training Month.
Terminology
NATA has made concerted efforts to ensure media, medical experts, peer health care professionals and others use proper terminology. Since members are often quoted or referenced, it is vital that ATs refer to themselves as “athletic trainers” or “ATs.”
Learn more about proper athletic training terminology and view the Athletic Training Glossary.
International Efforts
- Meet the needs of NATA members on learning exchanges or employed outside the U.S.
- Expand the awareness and practice of athletic training outside the U.S.
- Expand knowledge of the NATA brand outside the U.S.
- Principal means of information sharing and exchange: NATA International webpage and the NATA International LinkedIn page.