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North Carolina Athletic Trainers Honored With Lifesavers Award

North Carolina Athletic Trainers Association honored 13 certified athletic trainers and 3 athletic training students this weekend for their participation in actions that saved the lives of 9 individuals in North Carolina from July 2015-Nov 2015.

The events this fall included 2 cardiac arrest incidents of high school soccer players and one high school basketball player, 2 spectator cardiac arrests, heat stroke with temperature over 108 in preseason soccer, and a stroke, lacerated spleen and cervical spine injury in 3 football players. All had positive outcomes due to the specialized training and rehearsed emergency action plans of the athletic trainers.

The following individuals were recognized:
*Kim Chase ATC, Sally Mays ATC, Jake Mir ATC, Carly Natsis ATS of UNC-Chapel Hill,  UNC Volleyball medical staff successfully revived spectator who was in cardiac arrest using CPR and AED
*Eric Hall ATC of Cary High School accurately identified and referred high school football player experiencing a Stroke.
*Roslyn Hart ATC , Sara Woods ATC and Jordan Johnson  ATS of  Carolinas Healthcare System-Blue Ridge,  successfully resuscitated a man who went into cardiac arrest while playing tennis near the cross country event they were covering.
*Brendon Jonsson ATC of Southeastern Healthcare and Jordan Jones ATS successfully identified, stabilized and referred a football player with a lacerated spleen.
*John Lavender ATC & Ian Mushinski ATC of Winston Salem State University,  recognized, stabilized and assisted with the transport of a collegiate football player with multiple levels of neck fractures.
*Elizabeth Nottingham ATC of South Rowan High School successfully resuscitated a high school soccer player who collapsed due to cardiac arrest.
*Brenda Paider ATC of Catawba College utilized CPR and AED on a high school basketball player who collapsed due to cardiac arrest at a summer camp.
*Heather Teague ATC of Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC revived a high school soccer player who collapsed due to cardiac arrest
*Tracy Yoshikawa ATC of Eastern Carolina University successfully identified and treated a women’s soccer player with heat stroke and core temperature of 108.

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The association also announced their annual awards.

The most prestigious of the awards was the presentation of the 2016 Hall of Fame class.  The newest member to be presented into the NCATA Hall of Fame was Brett Wood of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Also presented this year was the Bill Griffin Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award to Jay Scifers. This honor has only been given to one other person over the last 5 years.

NCATA Athletic Trainer of the Year (ATOY) was presented in four categories:

Elton G. Hawley Secondary Schools ATOY  – Richard Baker, Wake Forest High School
Elton G. Hawley Secondary Schools Outreach ATOY – Jason Brafford, Carolina’s Healthcare System
Clinic/Emerging Practices ATOY – David Wilkenfeld, NC School for the Arts
College/University ATOY – Nina Walker, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Educator of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Anh-Dung Nyugen, of High Point University

Dr. Jared Miller from Elizabeth City was named Sports Medicine Person of the Year.  Miller is a physician with Sentra Healthcare System.

Carolina Healthcare Systems, Charlotte was recognized with the Corporate Service Award.

The Presidential Scholarship for Leadership was presented to Kelcey Holcomb, a senior at Western Carolina University.

The Hall of Fame Scholarship for Academic Excellence was presented to Johanna White, a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Pioneer Scholarship for Service was presented to Deema Al-Ghandour, a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

On average, 1-2 athletic trainer lifesavers have been reported to the NCATA in a calendar year.  This record breaking year has highlighted the need for qualified healthcare providers at all events, not just football games. Certified athletic trainers are uniquely qualified for on-field management of acute injuries and illnesses as well as traditional evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of sports related injuries and conditions.

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