Pin Collectors Meet at NATA 2025

An NATA 75th anniversary special event, hosted by the NATA Historical Commission,  brought together pin collecting enthusiasts during the 76th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo June 24-27 in Orlando. 

More than 30 athletic trainers and athletic training students attended the NATA Pin Collectors' Meet and Greet, organized by Historical Commission member Jeff Stone, MEd, LAT, ATC, an NATA Hall of Fame Class of 2012 member, to exchange and trade pins and patches. 

"A host of our members are passionate in preserving our athletic training heritage and history by collecting pins, artifacts, memorabilia and symbols of our profession," Stone said. "We really appreciate their efforts and were glad to offer them a forum to get together."

Among the group were two well-known Hawaiian athletic trainers with extensive pin collections: Samuel Lee, EdD, ATC, who has spurred pin trading among attendees of the State Leadership Forum hosted by the NATA State Association Advisory Committee; and Chris Spalding, PTA, ATC, who has gathered pins from 46 of the 50 state athletic training associations.

Included in the displays were state, district and NATA pins, Cramer Products buttons and badges, patches from previous NATA conventions, pictures of early athletic training textbooks and annual meeting T-shirt quilts. Pins were also displayed from members of the AT Strategic Alliance and NATA Political Action Committee.

Historical Commission member Angie Miller has renamed the event "Stoney's Pin Collecting Extravaganza," due to the success of the event. 

Stone, who has a collection of more than 100 pins and patches, is already planning the second annual event to take place during the 77th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo next year in Philadelphia. To learn more, email the commission (include “Historical Commission: Pin Collectors’ Meet and Greet” in the subject line).