NATA Hall of Fame

Gary Craner was the head athletic trainer at Boise State University from 1972 until his retirement in 2008. He was the first athletic trainer in the state of Idaho to be certified by NATA and was a primary force behind Idaho state licensure. Craner's other contributions include service as president of the Idaho Athletic Trainers' Association, vice-president and president of the Northwest Athletic Trainers' Association. He continues to mentor athletic trainers around the country.

Gordon Stoddard joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison as head athletic trainer in 1969, a position he held until 1986. In addition to his athletic training duties, he created the curriculum for “Professional Preparation of Athletic Trainers” at the university. Stoddard, who amassed an array of awards and recognition, is retired and living in Wisconsin.

1947-1992

Thomas “Tim” Kerin spent most of his career as head athletic trainer at the University of Tennessee, where he started in 1977. In 1986 he was a founding member of Knoxville's Metropolitan Drug Commission. Kerin received a Chancellor's Citation from the University of Tennessee in 1990 and the SEATA Award of Merit in 1991. Gatorade continues to bestow an award in his name, recognizing outstanding service by an athletic trainer.

Troy Young was head athletic trainer for Arizona State from 1979-91. He served on the NATA board from 1977-80 and was NATA liaison to the NCAA from 1978-80. Young is a co-founder of the Arizona Athletic Trainers' Association and a charter member of the Sports Medicine Committee of the Arizona Medical Association. He is retired and living in Arizona.

1928-2008

Al Ortolani served as head athletic trainer and professor of HPER at Pittsburg State from 1955 until his retirement in 1995. Throughout his career, Ortolani was a quintessential role model for others in the sports medicine field. He was first baseball coach at PSU and the baseball field is named in his honor.

Dick Malacrea spent 20 years at Princeton University as head athletic trainer before retiring in 1998. He was instrumental in founding the Athletic Trainers' Society of New Jersey in 1975. Through this society, Malacrea was appointed by the governor to chair the Legislative Committee of Advisors to the Board of Medical Examiners. He continues to live in New Jersey.

Getting his start in the profession at New Mexico State University, Frank Randall was active as a national leader. He worked at New Mexico Military Junior College, the University of Idaho and Iowa State University. Randall served on the NATA board was the District Five secretary and historian. He retired in 2007.

NATA President #2

Frank George became the head athletic trainer at Brown University in 1966 and remained at the school until he retired in 2004 as director of sports medicine. He was NATA president from 1974-78, after serving as vice president. George was instrumental in winning a five-year struggle to bring licensure to athletic trainers in Rhode Island. He continues to live in Rhode Island.

Phillip Donley was a teacher and athletic trainer at West Chester University from 1965-91. He was a founding member of the American College of Sports Medicine and authored the first NATA guidelines for development and approval of NATA-approved Education Program Directors Council. Donley, a colonel in the Army Reserves, now works at Chester County Sports Medicine.

1927-2005

Duke LaRue worked as an athletic trainer at Michigan State University, Purdue University, Western Illinois University and the University of Nebraska. He also served as a member of the NATA Board of Directors from 1970-74 and as a member/chair of the Nebraska Board of Health Examiners in Athletic Training.