The NATA Hall of Fame is the pinnacle of member recognition, celebrating athletic trainers who have fostered the profession and exemplified what it means to live a life of service. More than a ring and an iconic green jacket, the NATA Hall of Fame honors those who have dedicated countless hours sharpening their skills, mentoring the next generation of ATs and leaving a lasting impact on the athletic training profession.
The May/June NATA News features profiles on each of the 2025 NATA Hall of Fame inductees, providing insight into their careers, volunteer achievements and lives as leaders in the profession. The class of 2025 will be inducted during the 76th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo in Orlando. Don’t miss the NATA Hall of Fame Induction & National Awards Ceremony from 1 to 2 p.m. June 25.
In this post, the inductees discuss their most memorable moments in the profession.
Editor’s note: Rick Shaw passed away Feb. 15. His responses were provided by his daughter, Jess Norman; colleagues, Marion Vruggink, AT Ret., Walter “Kip” Smith, MEd, LAT, ATC, and Scott Lawrance, DHSc, LAT, ATC; and mentor, Bob Behnke, AT Ret.
Brian Conway, LAT, ATC
I don’t know that any moment of my career is the most memorable. I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey. The people I have worked and volunteered with are the memorable moments I cherish. The laughter, the tears and the comradery are what is most memorable and satisfying as I look back over my years in service.
Katie Walsh Flanagan, EdD, LAT, ATC
It’s not one moment; it’s the knowledge I was given and the opportunity to use skills whenever an athlete is injured. I appear in their personal world of pain and angst, and have the skill and tools to “walk” them through every phase from on-field/court injury to the full return to sport. No other bond is as unique as that, and it’s outside the white-hot spotlight. Athletic trainers thrive behind the scenes.
Rick Griffin, MS, LAT, ATC
I have had a tremendous career, and so many individual moments that stand out, but what means the most to me is the longevity of my career in professional baseball. I loved my job and getting the chance to go to work every day with professional athletes and watch more than 7,000 games in 38 years – and I got to do it with the same team my entire career!
Jennifer Dawn Rheeling, MS, LAT, ATC
My most memorable moment in the profession is when I found out I passed the BOC exam. I was at Indiana State, and my test results were sent to my parents’ home in Illinois. I had asked them to open the envelope and decipher the results before calling me, so I didn’t have to agonize while they figured it out. I knew some of my classmates had received their results. One afternoon, my mom called me and told me the envelope was there and asked if I still wanted her to open it. I was so nervous and flustered because she called me first that I hung up on her! When my parents called back, they were still shuffling through the papers when my dad said, “pass, pass, pass.” Shocked and excited doesn’t even cover it! This profession has given me many blessings that aren’t specifically athletic training related. I have worked in an urban, public-school environment my entire career in Title I schools. When I first left Illinois to begin work in Washington, D.C., I thought it would be for a few years. Illinois will always be home in my heart, but I feel like I was meant to be here doing this work – closing the accessibility gaps in health care and providing resources my students may not otherwise get. I truly feel we are public health extenders and serve an amplified role in coordinating services. Two things I am most proud of is my students calling me “Ma” and that three of my former students felt called to make me the godmother of their children.
J. Timothy Sensor, LAT, AT Ret.
Countless memorable moments have shaped my career, but one of the highlights was undoubtedly the opening, under my leadership, of our new athletic training rehabilitation facility at Kean University. The opportunity to incorporate my vision and ideas into this state-of-the-art space for the care of athletes and the education of athletic training students was professionally fulfilling.
Another unforgettable experience was working with U.S. Team Handball and attending the World Championship in Austria. The thrill of being part of the highest levels of athletic competition was a testament to my dedication to sports medicine. Equally rewarding has been the chance to collaborate with numerous talented professionals in the field. Learning from their expertise has enriched my knowledge and passion for sports medicine.
Yet, perhaps the most fulfilling moments come from witnessing my students, whom I have been privileged to mentor. I have seen them rise to the occasion and become leaders in the profession. Their success is a true reflection of our shared professional values and the impact we can have on one another's lives.
Rick Shaw (Honored Posthumously)
Jess Norman: As his daughter, there were a lot of memorable moments with Dad. From going to Florida with the Rose-Hulman University basketball team, players hanging out with me after games, to all the people I have been blessed to meet because of his career path. But for me, the funniest memory comes from his time as head athletic trainer at Rose-Hulman Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was receiving an award during a football game, and the booth announcer was filling the crowd in on the details of the award, yet Dad was the one who came into the stands and gave my mom, my grandma and me a carnation. He was the one that got the praise and award, but he was giving us the attention.
Marion Vruggink, AT Ret.: Rick had a way of encouraging others and building them up. When I was chairing the communications committee, and any of our many projects proved to be successful, Rick would be the first to say with a smile, “See what you did?” His support always meant a lot to me. He would always give credit to where credit was due. But probably my most memorable moment was when Rick, along with Walter “Kip” Smith, MEd, LAT, ATC, announced the passing of Indiana’s Practice Act (HB 1102), which changed the language from certification to licensure for ATs. It was a joyous day!
Walter “Kip” Smith, MEd, LAT, ATC: One of my most memorable moments with Rick is when the Indiana Athletic Trainer Licensure Bill was passed (by a wide margin). Rick and I went outside of the State House, sat on the cement wall and smoked a victory cigar! He kept repeating, “That was just amazing.”
Bob Behnke, AT Ret.: Rick's completion of the efforts started in 1976 by William Newell, Bob Young and me to finally bring licensure for ATs in Indiana was, to me, Rick's "shining moment"!
Scott Lawrance, DHSc, LAT, ATC: I remember Rick leading our state through a legislative effort to gain the ability to pursue third party reimbursement. In the committee hearing, Rick was in total control. Our bill author was a new representative, and the committee was questioning him hard. Rick stepped to the podium and, in short order, had the entire committee in the palm of his hand. He had such talent for customizing his communication style for whatever was needed, and this was on full display that day.
