1927 - 2007
The career of Fritz Massmann, head athletic trainer for the New Jersey Nets basketball team from 1970-92, can best be described as varied. Before joining the Nets, Massmann worked for almost 20 years at Iowa College, Brown University and then Boston College. He was an athletic trainer for numerous pro basketball All-Star games. Massmann was also active in the NATA, serving as District One director for six years and as president for two years.
James “Doc” Dodson's first athletic training job was at Midland (Texas) High School. He accepted it in 1959 and remained there until his retirement over 30 years later. The first high school athletic trainer to serve in the World Olympics (Munich, 1972), Dodson received the prestigious Frank Medina Award in 1984. His family was chosen as Midland's “Family of the Year” in 1982, and he now works at West Texas Orthopedics.
1930 - 1999
Jim Goostree, a diversified college athlete, signed on as head athletic trainer at the University of Alabama in 1957, one year before the arrival of Paul “Bear” Bryant. After 27 years as head athletic trainer, Goostree assumed the role of assistant athletic director at the university. In 1987, he was promoted to executive athletic director and helped create Alabama's donor program, Tide Pride. Additionally, he supervised the building and upgrading of athletic facilities including Bryant-Denny Stadium before he retired in 1993.
1921 - 1998
It was during his undergraduate days at the University of Texas that Joe Worden became interested in the care and prevention of athletic injuries. He had a good teacher: fellow Hall of Famer Frank Medina. In 1949, Worden was hired by Vanderbilt University, where he remained until retiring in 1986. Worden, who handled all sports until 1971, served as head athletic trainer for the Commodore basketball team and assisted with the football team and club sports.
1921 - 2006
Joe Stanitis was born and raised in Amherst, Mass., making it only fitting that he serve out his athletic training career at Amherst College. Stanitis joined the Amherst staff in 1947 and stayed until retiring in 1984. In the early 1960s, he collaborated on an article about lateral neck sprains that spurred the development of protective cervical collars in football. He was also a member of the committee that helped attain licensure for Massachusetts athletic trainers in 1983.
Lew Crowl's Sports Injury Center was one of the first in the country. From 1961 until he opened his clinic in 1969, Crowl was the head athletic trainer at Sacramento State University. After beginning his career as a student under Ernie Biggs, he was an athletic trainer for the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1968 Games in Mexico City and at the 1972 Games in Sapporo, Japan. Now retired, he works occasionally for HealthSouth in California.
1924 - 2013
When Louis Grevelle retired in 1984, Lubbock's (TX) Coronado High School lost an institution. Since the school opened its doors in 1965, Grevelle had been there as athletic trainer. He was a past-president of the Southwest Athletic Trainers' Association, served two terms on the Texas Advisory Board of Athletic Trainers and covered three Texas High School All-Star football games.
1921 - 2008
By the time he retired in June 1984, Ray Ulinski had spent 34 busy years as a teacher and athletic trainer at Penn State University. After his education was interrupted by World War II, Ulinski earned his bachelor's degree from Penn State in 1950 and was immediately hired as assistant athletic trainer and an instructor in physical education. He supervised 14 intercollegiate varsity sports for both men and women.
1920 - 2006
After 37 years, the name Walt Grockowski has become nearly synonymous with Wesleyan University and its athletic training staff. A resident of Middletown since 1926, Grockowski joined the Wesleyan staff in 1947 and worked for nearly 26 years under head athletic trainer Steve Witkowski before assuming leadership upon Witkowski's death. He was one of four athletic trainers to serve the U.S. Olympic Team during the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.
In 1953, Charles Demers graduated from the University of Massachusetts and went to work for several minor-league baseball clubs. In 196r, he became head athletic trainer at Deerfield Academy, where he has remained until retiring. He was coordinator of athletic therapy for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid and for several other international competitions. He now lives in Massachusetts.