Finding His Village Through Student Leadership

Your journey as an athletic trainer doesn’t stop when you earn your credential. It grows stronger with the support of your professional home. This membership renewal season, NATA Now is sharing how ATs of all career stages have found home at NATA and embody this year’s campaign, “I am NATA.” Join or renew your membership for 2027 now. 

By Leona Scott

For Felix Holman III, joining NATA wasn’t initially about finding a professional community. He needed to do it for class.

But somewhere along the way, that changed.

Today, Holman is a second-year master’s student in athletic training at Florida International University and chair of the NATA Student Leadership Committee (SLC). Through volunteer leadership, he’s discovered something he didn’t expect from a professional association: a village of people who support him, encourage him and share his desire to give back. And he didn’t have to wait until he was a working professional to find it.

“At first, I saw the organization as more of a class requirement; now, being more connected and involved has helped me foster a village within the NATA community,” Holman said.

Finding His Village

Holman traces his growing sense of belonging to stepping into leadership with SLC. He served as the Florida state representative for District Nine before becoming the national committee’s interim chair, and he now leads as chair. What had once been an obligation became a community that shared his interests and encouraged his growth.

One moment stands out. At the January Joint Committee Meeting in Dallas, Holman stood up to introduce himself as the SLC’s incoming chair.

“The amount of support and excitement that filled the room as I introduced myself as the incoming chair gave me chills,” he said.

That kind of encouragement didn’t start in Dallas, and it hasn’t stopped since.

“Along this route, I think the [SLC] mentors and previous chair, as well as my current committee, have helped that feeling flourish; they make me feel supported and seen,” he said.

Those two words – “supported and seen” – capture what belonging means to Holman. He credits former SLC Chair Jackson Grant and two mentors at FIU: Michelle Odai, PhD, LAT, ATC, the program director, and Rodrigo Martinez, DAT, LAT, ATC, the clinical education coordinator.

“All of these individuals have supported my passion for leadership and have been more than forthcoming in supporting me throughout my journey to date,” he said.

Finding Purpose Through Service

Some of Holman’s most meaningful NATA connections have been with volunteers who give their time to support the profession.

“I believe the relationships that I have built so far in NATA have given me a greater passion for going into leadership and volunteering within my career profession,” he said.

Those volunteers showed him that involvement isn’t about holding a position or adding a line to a résumé.

“I have met countless volunteers who helped me see the rewarding impact of giving back, and each showed me that the why behind it all matters most,” Holman said.

That lesson has reshaped how he sees his future. Holman doesn’t plan to end his volunteer involvement when he graduates.

“This has made me realize that connecting within the profession through volunteering is the calling I have been looking for,” he said. “I want to continue this even after I graduate from my program.”

NATA has become more than a place to build professional relationships. It’s where he’s discovering the kind of athletic trainer and leader he wants to become.

Giving Students a Voice

As SLC chair, Holman wants other students to find the same encouragement he has. He knows firsthand what it’s like to be in their position.

“Being the new chair of the SLC, I wanted to give a voice to the students who are in my shoes and those who will be in my shoes,” he said.

Serving on the committee also gives him a window into how the association works.

“I knew that being part of the NATA Student Leadership Committee would let me see behind the scenes of how the organization runs and functions,” he said.

From that vantage point, Holman sees a gap between students, the profession and the broader community. Plenty of support exists for future athletic trainers, he said, but not every student knows it’s there. He also believes the profession deserves more recognition.

“We are more than hydration specialists [and] personal trainers, and I believe it is time that everyone realized it,” he said.

He sees the committee as a resource for students navigating their education and preparing to enter the profession.

“I believe NATA has a lot to offer its student members, and my committee and I can be a valuable resource for students seeking guidance as they tackle this journey,” he said. “I want them to feel seen and heard, and I hope that my time as chair can lead us in the right steps to achieving that.”

That starts with visibility. One of Holman’s top priorities this year is drawing more attention to SLC and increasing student involvement.

This goal comes from his own experience. Having found a community where he belongs, he wants to build that for others.

He’s still preparing to begin his professional career, but he’s already thinking about the impact he wants to have on those who follow. For Holman, “I am NATA” isn’t simply about identifying with an organization. It’s about responsibility to others.

“The phrase ‘I am NATA’ to me means having an unselfish desire to give back to others; it means being able to place yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand the individual as a whole better,” he said.

It’s a perspective shaped by the volunteers who inspired him, the mentors who encouraged him and the fellow students he now represents.

What began as a class requirement has become something much more personal. Holman found his village within NATA. Now, he’s helping make room for others.