NATA Now

August 22, 2025 by Beth Sitzler
Events
Membership

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. 

May 23, 2014 by NATA Staff

Doug Casa, Dr. James Andrews...and the Knicks City Dancers?

We're seeing more and more video content related to athletic training being posted all the time. In addition to news stories and photos, it’s nice to see another outlet being utilized for educational, promotional and entertainment purposes. Here are a few videos posted over the past two weeks we thought you might like. 

The Korey Stringer Institute's Doug Casa, PhD, ATC, FACSM, offers tips on keeping athletes safe during exercise in the heat.

May 22, 2014 by NATA Staff

Behind the Scenes at Philips Arena with NBA Head AT Wally Blase

Now in his 14th season with the Atlanta Hawks, Head Athletic Trainer Wally Blase, MS, ATC, CSCS, has become somewhat of a fixture in NBA sports medicine. The Midwest-raised Blase, a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, started out volunteering with the Chicago Bulls in his spare time before he eventually earned a spot as an assistant AT. After receiving a master's degree in sports psychology, Blase continued working with Bulls through two championship seasons before heading South for warmer weather and a new opportunity: serving as head athletic trainer of the Atlanta Hawks.

May 20, 2014 by NATA Staff

Students: Success Starts in the Summer

By Jeremy Hawkins, PhD, ATC

In Disney’s Frozen, Olaf (a jolly snowman) breaks into song singing about what frozen things do in the summer. Thought athletic training students aren’t likely to melt during the summer, they can plan ahead to make the most of this time of year. Here are a few suggestions to help AT students keep skills sharp over the next few months in preparation for the fall semester:
May 16, 2014 by NATA Staff

5 Stories You Might Have Missed This Week

We know you don’t have time to see all the news that's out there, especially news that is relevant and interesting to ATs. Those stories aren’t the easiest to find as they don’t often show up at the top of news feeds. But there are stories out there every week that feature ATs or are related to the profession. So here are five stories that you might not have seen this week but we thought you might like to check out. 

 

 
May 15, 2014 by NATA Staff

Vikings Head AT Explains His Role in NFL Draft

We caught up with Eric Sugarman, MS, ATC, head athletic trainer for the NFL Minnesota Vikings, to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to evaluate athletes during the NFL draft. In addition to his standard responsibilities as head AT, Sugarman said his role in the lengthy process has the potential to make or break a player's chance of being drafted. Read on for the full inside scoop.

What’s the typyical role of athletic trainers during the NFL Draft?
May 13, 2014 by NATA Staff

AT Students Volunteer in Honduras

By Caitlin Deems, ATC
 
Hi, my name is Caitlin Deems and I would like to share an experience that my husband (Joshua Deems, ATC) and I had last year when we were seniors in the athletic training program at the University of West Florida. We spent spring break in La Ceiba, Honduras with an American internal medicine doctor who works at a local clinic for the disadvantaged.
 
May 1, 2014 by NATA Staff

AT Kits: Then and Now

By Matt Webber, ATC

Athletic training kits have been around almost as long as athletic training. Initially, and for quite some time afterward, they were usually a leather physician’s satchel. Athletic trainers were known to carry whatever could possibly be needed to complete their duties. While this may not seem possible in those small bags, we athletic trainers have been known for a long time for our ability to put a lot in a field kit.