NATA Now

In honor of National Native American Heritage Month in November, the NATA Now blog is highlighting some of NATA’s Native/Indigenous American members and their impact on the athletic training profession.

Megan Roach, MA, LAT, ATC, thought she wanted to pursue physical therapy until she encountered athletic training – and loved it.

In 2021, the NATA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Task Force was introduced and charged with bringing the association’s six DEIA commitments to life. This year, in order to continue this work well into the future, the NATA Board of Directors approved the formation of the NATA DEIA Council.

The NATA Political Action Committee (NATAPAC) would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2023 NATAPAC Sweepstakes Sept. 11-30. Through your contributions, $10,140 was raised for NATAPAC. The winners of the 2023 sweepstakes are:

• Roger Kalisiak, AT Ret. – Apple iPad Air
• Mathew Golden, MSAT, LAT, ATC – LG 70-inch 4K Smart TV
• Carley Parkinson, MBA, LAT, ATC – Apple iPad Air

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the NATA Now blog is highlighting some of our athletic training leaders at the state, district and national levels.

As a young athlete, Annie Lopez-Bauman, MS, LAT, ATC, didn’t realize the value of an athletic trainer until she sustained a knee injury.

“I was introduced to the athletic trainer at my high school and working with him really sparked my interest for the profession,” she said.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the NATA Now blog is highlighting some of our athletic training leaders at the state, district and national levels.

For Charles Ramos, DHSc, ATC, CSCS, injury, an AT’s expertise and two mentors were the ingredients for excellence in the profession.

“Athletic training became an interest of mine during my high school years when I was playing sports and had a few injuries,” he said.

Students and athletic training programs, you’re invited to attend the NATA Student Leadership Committee’s virtual fall engagement event, "The Great AT Debate," at 7 p.m. CDT Oct. 16.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the NATA Now blog is highlighting some of our athletic training leaders at the state, district and national levels.

An athletic trainer’s prompt medical response to an athlete’s emergency injury during a Michigan State University football game inspired a dream in Amanda Brown, MPH, LAT, ATC.

LaTonja Lee, MS, ATC, PES, has a deep passion for exposing more girls to the athletic training profession. In 2019, Lee brought a program call Women in Athletic Training to the Girl Scouts of Nassau County (New York) (see p. 30 of the November 2019 NATA News). This June, Lee, who is a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient and member of the adult council, turned her attention to Indianapolis.

By Erik R. Brown, DHSc, LAT, ATC, and Matthew Powless, PhD, HSPP 

College student athletes already have plenty of things on their plate. Because of their juggling act, they are prone to mental health issues. The changing climate of college athletics has been fluid since 2020 as mental health issues became more paramount with the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, name, image and likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal. These issues have added another layer of additional stressors – good and bad.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the NATA Now blog is highlighting some of our athletic training leaders at the state, district and national levels.

Estefania Zavala, DAT, ATC, CES, began her athletic training journey inspired by the compassionate care she experienced from her high school AT while playing soccer.

“She was always there for everyone, as athletes and as people,” she said.