NATA Now

The Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) has opened the Curricular Content Standards for public comment. Athletic training organizations, individual athletic trainers as well as key stakeholders are encouraged to review the standards and provide comments if they so choose. ATs can find the standards and provide feedback. The comment period is 60 days and ends August 1.

The United States Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI) and Bone and Joint Canada are dedicated to increasing research of musculoskeletal diseases. The USBJI has developed a grant mentoring program to provide early-career investigators an opportunity to work with experienced researchers in our field to assist them in securing funding and other survival skills required for pursuing an academic career.

By Jason Muchow, MHA, ATC

By Kembra Mathis, MEd, ATC

Have you heard the good news? NATA has approved the Secondary School Sports Medicine Course Outline, which can be used by any AT asked to start a sports medicine course!

These guidelines come in response to the recent Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee survey that revealed a need as well as a desire for a useful outline that athletic trainers in the secondary school can use to guide their academic endeavors in schools. Well, here it is!

MaryBeth Horodyski, EdD, LAT, ATC, FNATA will be assuming the role of the NATA Executive Committee for Education (ECE) Chair as of August 1, 2016.

Dr. Horodyski has served the profession at the state, district and national levels for the last 22 years. In her most recent volunteer roles she served as the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association (District Nine) Director sitting on the NATA Board of Directors. She is currently the vice-president of the NATA Board.

By Randy Cohen, ATC, DPT

Professional skater, Olympic gold medalist, author, philanthropist and Johnson & Johnson Keynote Speaker Scott Hamilton graces the cover of the June NATA News. In his cover story, “Finding Longevity,” p. 10, he details his journey to the Olympics and life after winning gold.

Each year, an average of 25 million lightning flashes strike the ground in the United States. Worldwide, lightning annually accounts for an estimated 24,000 deaths and approximately 240,000 injuries. Since lightning is more prevalent in the afternoon and the evening during the late spring through fall, the NATA created a lightning safety handout (pdf) which was published in the June NATA News.

By Jeremy Hawkins, PhD, ATC, ATP Director, Colorado Mesa University

During National Athletic Training Month, members embraced the 2016 theme, “A Safer Approach to Work, Life and Sport,” and helped raise awareness of the profession in creative and impactful ways.