NATA Now

The NATA convention is only a few days away, so now is the time to finalize your schedule and double check your packing list. Whether it’s registration hours or convention attire, NATA has compiled a list of those “don’t forget” details to help you navigate NATA 2018 with ease. We look forward to seeing you at the 69th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo June 26-29 in New Orleans.

The 10 teams that will compete at the 2018 NATA Quiz Bowl in New Orleans have been determined. Scheduled for 5:15 p.m. on June 28 at the convention, the Quiz Bowl is now in its tenth year and features teams from each district in a Jeopardy-style competition. More than bragging rights will be on the line as the winning team receives $1,000 toward the school’s athletic training program or club.

Earlier this week the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs and NFL Physicians Society held a behind-the-scenes health & safety media tour at Arrowhead Stadium. Speakers included NFL Senior VP of Health and Safety Policy Jeff Miller and Chiefs VP of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder. Various media outlets covered the tour and you can find a sampling of that coverage below: 

Most organizations and companies have risk managers and/or compliance officers who are responsible for identifying and reducing risks that are specific to the workplace. You can promote the athletic training profession by organizing a meeting with the risk manager or compliance officer for your workplace to discuss the value you provide in preventing injury and mitigating risk.

In March 2018, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) released the Standards for Accreditation of Professional Athletic Training Programs at the Masters Level (2020 Standards).

In their rollout, CAATE states:

While cheerleading once was considered a student activity related to spirit raising, nowadays it falls under many institution’s athletic programs thanks to its popularity and athleticism. As with any other athlete, cheerleaders face injury concerns, especially musculoskeletal injuries and those related to overuse since the cheer season tends to be year-round.

The Spine Injury in Sport Group (SISG) was developed out of the prior Inter-Association Task Force on Pre-Hospital Care of the Spine-Injured Athlete. NATA has partnered with the NFL and NCAA to participate in and assist with sponsoring the project. The SISG will use the international concussion group and their consensus statements as a model of development.

With May being Mental Health Month, now is a great time to revisit NATA’s many mental health-related resources. The Mental Health section of the website features a bevy of related resources, from position and consensus statements to articles and guidelines. In addition, NATA has created several infographic handouts that examine various aspects of mental health, including:

By Jeffrey B. Driban, PhD, ATC, CSCS

Expanding the reach of stories that highlight the expertise of athletic trainers can have a huge impact on promoting the athletic training profession.