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Woods Named Mississippi Athletic Trainer of the Year

Article reposted from Mississippi Business Journal
Author: Mississippi Business Journal

Dr. James O’Mara (surgeon) and Richey Woods (athletic trainer), both with Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, recently were named 2016 Mississippi Sports Medicine Person of the Year and Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Mississippi Athletics Trainers Association.

O’Mara is team physician to Delta State University for home and away games, and has served as team physician for Ridgeland High School since it opened. He is currently team physician for Mississippi College. Additionally, O’Mara is a previous two-term member on the association’s board of directors.

O’Mara also holds previous service to the MS Department of Health Athletic Training Advisory Board and is a previous team physician for the Alabama Mississippi AllStar Football game.

O’Mara, began his education at Jackson Prep and then moved to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he majored in Biology. His medical career moved him to Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Following medical school, O’Mara continued with an internship and residency at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. A sub-specialized surgeon, O’Mara also completed a fellowship in sports medicine and knee surgery with Dr. James Andrews at American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham.

Woods has served the association in several roles on the executive board over the years and is currently serving as director of professional development. Nationally, he has previously served with the South East Athletic Trainers’ Association. He is the USA Water Ski Association safety director, and has been athletic trainer for the Alabama Mississippi All-Star football game since 1995 and the basketball game for 12 years.

He is a Warren County native who earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Southern Mississippi, and his master’s degree in health, physical education, and recreation at Delta State University.