Article reposted from The Huntsville Item
Author: Paul Ridings Jr.
Sixteen years after beginning his undergraduate career at Sam Houston State, Dustin LeNorman returns to his alma mater as head athletic trainer, SHSU athletic director Bobby Williams announced on Friday.
LeNorman, who received his bachelor of science in health from Sam Houston in 2007, is a current adjunct faculty member with the department of kinesiology as well as staff athletic trainer for USA Gymnastics. There, he embarked on a variety of international competition coverage, including the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships.
LeNorman replaces former head athletic trainer Hope Parker.
Parker became Sam Houston’s head athletic trainer in June of 2003 after serving one season as assistant athletic trainer and two years as graduate assistant for the Bearkats.
“We are very pleased to continue to enhance the services we provide for our student-athletes in our athletic training program by having the opportunity to hire Dustin LeNorman as our Head athletic Trainer,” associate athletic director for student services Chris Thompson said. “His background speaks for itself in regard to the professional affiliations he has with the Huntsville medical community and the professional position he is in.”
After graduating from Sam Houston, LeNorman went on to receive his masters in athletic training from Stephen F. Austin in 2009. This July, he began the next step in his education, the pursuit of his doctorate of athletic training from Indiana State.
“I really look forward to being part of the Bearkat family,” LeNorman said. “I am an alumni of the university, so I look forward to giving back to the program that gave so much to me. I think we’ll have a great team in our medical staff and we look forward to growing on the services that is already provided and the winning tradition.”
LeNorman spent almost seven years with Huntsville Memorial Hospital between July 2009 and April 2015, leading 16 athletic trainers while developing and coordinating the Sports Medicine Outreach Program.
During this time, he also supported the Bearkats football program by working away games and practices, starting IVs as needed for practices as well as providing treatments of manual therapy and dry needling. Included was the development of the ImPACT concussion program for area schools.
“As a student, I was an intern within the athletic department for sports medicine,” LeNorman said. “I learned under Hope (Parker) and worked with softball and baseball. When I returned from grad school, my job here in Huntsville was to generate a sports medicine outreach program in the hospital. One of the first things I did was reach out to the university. We wanted to facilitate more pay for the (graduate assistants) and get them involved with the hospital.”
Additional experience includes serving as the associate athletic trainer for Justin Sports Medicine in Dallas since 2009 and the Walker County Tactical Medic Team and the Walker County Emergency Medical Technician.
In 2007, he was awarded Sam Houston State Athletic Trainer of the Year and three years later was honored as Huntsville Memorial Hospital Spotlight Performer for March. The former Huntsville Fire Department firefighter (2002-07) holds a number of certifications including his athletic trainer certification and is Texas Advisor Board of Athletic Trainers Certification.
“Dustin has extensive athletic training background as he has been affiliated with our program and also with USA Gymnastics,” Thompson said. “His medical wealth of knowledge provides a stable foundation as we continue to provide the best care and services for our student-athletes.”