Category: Awards

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Aces’ Abe named PCL Athletic Trainer of the Year

Article reposted from kolo8 News Now
Author: Reno Aces

The Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) has selected Reno Aces’ Masa Abe as the Pacific Coast League Trainer of the Year. Abe is Reno’s first trainer to take home the award in the franchise’s nine-year history.

The award is given annually to one member of each of the 16 Leagues in Minor League Baseball, as well as the Dominican Summer League, in a selection by their peers. As the PCL winner, Abe is now eligible for the Minor League Athletic Trainer of the Year award, which is voted upon by full membership of the PBATS and announced at the 2017 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida.

Abe is in his second season with Reno and seventh season with the Diamondbacks medical staff. He began his professional career in 2011 with Rookie-level AZL D-backs and moved up to Rookie-advanced Missoula in 2012. In his one season in Missoula, he was named the Pioneer League Athletic Trainer of the Year. Abe’s ascension up the D-backs minor league ladder continued when he jumped to Advanced-A Visalia in 2013 and Double-A Mobile for the 2014-2015 campaigns.

Prior to joining the D-backs, Abe was a graduate assistant trainer at the University of Arkansas. A native of Aiehi, Japan, Abe graduated from the Toyota National of College of Tech High School in Toyota, Japan, and went on to earn his degree in mechanical engineering in 2001. Abe came to the United States and attended Northern Colorado where he earned his undergraduate degree in athletic training in 2007. Abe worked as a Minor League assistant athletic trainer/strength and conditioning coach for one season with the Class A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians.

The Aces return home to Greater Nevada Field for four final regular season home games labor weekend, September 1-4, against the Albuquerque Isotopes. Playoff tickets are also available for reservation by visiting the ticket office or renoaces.com. Potential home playoff games are Wednesday, September 6th and Thursday, September 7th at Greater Nevada Field, both scheduled for 7:05 p.m. For 2018 ticket packages or more information, call (775) 334-4700. Follow the club all season long on Twitter (@Aces) or like the team on Facebook.

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Florida’s Athletic Trainer of the Year

Article reposted from TBN Weekly
Author: TBN Weekly

Marie Freudenthal, a certified athletic trainer with Morton Plant Mease’s Sports Medicine Outreach program, was recently named the High School Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Florida Athletic Trainers Association.

Freudenthal has been with BayCare for 10 years, serving first as athletic trainer at Osceola High school and spending the last six years at Clearwater High School, where she dedicates her time to ensuring the health and safety of youth athletes.

Freudenthal didn’t plan to become an athletic trainer. Her plan was to be a physical therapist; however, she needed a bachelor’s degree to attend physical therapy school. When she decided to major in athletic training, she found her passion and has made it her life’s work.

“As a high school athletic trainer, sometimes I am the most consistent person in a student’s life,” Freudenthal said. “To work with students, day in and day out, and watch them make good decisions is very rewarding.”

Freudenthal attends football practices in the fall and spring and all home athletic events in the fall, winter and spring sports seasons. She also mentors interns from the University of Tampa and the University of Central Michigan.

“Marie (Freudenthal) takes time to get to know our coaches and athletes,” said Clearwater High School Athletic Director Kathy Biddle. “She is passionate about her job and truly cares about the athletes at our school.”

In 2016, she had the privilege of watching her Clearwater High School football team go from a losing season in 2015 to an undefeated season.

“These seniors were the first group I had worked with for all four years. Many of them have difficult life circumstances so it was wonderful to watch them stay focused, never give up and then achieve great things,” Freudenthal said.

Freudenthal works at Clearwater High School as part of the partnership between BayCare’s athletic training program and Pinellas County Schools. The program’s goal is to increase safety awareness among coaches, student athletes, and parents, and to provide educational materials and follow up evaluations to determine return-to-play timelines for student athletes.

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Central Oklahoma faculty member joins NATA Hall of Fame

Article reposted from The Edmond Sun
Author: The Edmond Sun

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) recently inducted Jeff McKibbin, an educator in the University of Central Oklahoma’s athletic training program, since 1980, an honor only four Oklahomans have garnered in the 67-year history of the organization.

McKibbin, director of Central’s graduate athletic training program, was one of seven individuals from throughout the U.S. to be honored at the association’s 68th Clinical Symposia and Expo in Houston.

“Jeff McKibbin represents the best of his kind in the field of athletic training,” said James Machell, Ph.D., dean of Central’s College of Education and Professional Studies.

“He has served UCO, his community, his state and beyond exceptionally well. I can think of no one more deserving than Jeff to be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.”

A native of Duke, Oklahoma, McKibbin made significant contributions to the passing of legislation to update both the Oklahoma Athletic Training Practice Act (1996) and the Oklahoma Concussion Law (2015). Other leadership roles include chair of NATA’s Government Affairs Committee and member of the NATA Political Action Committee board of directors. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame, Mid-America Athletic Trainers’ Hall of Fame and the UCO Athletic Hall of Fame.

McKibbin began as a student athletic trainer for Central while an undergraduate student, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UCO. After working as a teacher and coach at Deer Creek Public Schools, he returned to Central as head athletic trainer in 1980, a position he had for 24 years. While serving in that position, McKibbin also served as an assistant athletic director and, later, as an associate athletic director. In 2004, he moved to his current role as director for UCO’s nationally-accredited graduate athletic training education program. He played a key role in developing the program into the first accredited graduate athletic training program in Oklahoma.

The NATA Hall of Fame is the highest honor an athletic trainer can receive. Honorees are recognized for contributions that enhance the quality of health care provided by athletic trainers and advance the profession. Since inducting its first class in 1962, the Hall of Fame has 310 members.

 

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PBATS NAMES 2017 MINOR LEAGUE ATHLETIC TRAINERS OF THE YEAR

Article reposted from PBATS
Author: 

President Mark O’Neal of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) today announced the winners of the Minor League Athletic Trainers of the Year Awards for the 2017 baseball season.

These awards are given annually to one member of each of the 16 leagues in Minor League Baseball, as well as one award for the Dominican Summer League.  An additional award is given to the Minor League Coordinator of the Year.

“I’m thrilled to announce PBATS’ Minor League Athletic Trainers of the Year,” O’Neal said. “These athletic trainers have had such a huge impact on their organizations and have been named, by their peers, the best athletic trainer in their respective league. To win an award voted on by your peers is so important. It shows everyone around the league that you’re working hard and doing your job with passion and amazing skill. I couldn’t be happier to award these great athletic trainers for their hard work.”

All 16 league winners, the Dominican Summer League winner and the Minor League Coordinator of the Year will now be eligible for the prestigious Minor League Athletic Trainer of the Year award voted upon by the full membership of PBATS. That award will be given at the 2017 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.

Award Winners:

League Winner Organization
Coordinator Joe Rauch Philadelphia Phillies
International League Scott Johnson Chicago White Sox
Pacific Coast League Masa Abe Arizona D’Backs
Eastern League Jeremy Heller Cleveland Indians
Southern League Tyler Moos Cincinnati Reds
Texas League Grant Hufford Houston Astros
Florida State League Masanobu Koyanagi Kansas City Royals
California League Joshua Guterman Colorado Rockies
Carolina League Bobby Ruiz Cleveland Indians
Midwest League Jeffrey Paxson Milwaukee Brewers
South Atlantic League Michael Sole New York Yankees
New York–Penn League Brian Newman Tampa Bay Rays
Northwest League Mickey Clarizio Colorado Rockies
Appalachian League Kris Russell Tampa Bay Rays
Pioneer League Margaret Rall Chicago White Sox
Arizona League Randy K. Roetter Seattle Mariners
Gulf Coast League AJ Cano New York Yankees
Dominican Summer Allison Wood Los Angeles Dodgers


ABOUT PBATS: The mission of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) is to serve as an educational resource for the Major League and Minor League Baseball athletic trainers. For more information, please visit www.pbats.com

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CU sports G-MAC Athletic Training Staff of the Year

Article reposted from Cedarville Yellow Jackets
Author: Cedarville Yellow Jackets

Cedarville University has been recognized for having the 2016-17 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Athletic Training Staff of the Year.

It’s the third time in the past five years that the Yellow Jackets’ staff has earned G-MAC’s highest honor for athletic trainers which is voted on by the league’s ATC’s.

CU’s five-person group is headed up by Wes Stephens, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance and Athletic Training, who oversees the care for the University’s 16 varsity sports and cheerleading.

He is joined by Assistant Athletic Trainers Amanda Meade, Rebecca Stokes, and Kurt Gruenberg as well as Kurt Beachy, Instructor of Athletic Training.

“Cedarville has very strong athletic training education and athletic department programs,” Stephens said. “It’s something we’ve done well for years and placed a lot of value in.

“It’s gratifying because we feel like we have the facilities as well as the staff to be able to offer high level of services to everyone. It’s a goal of ours each year to be able to provide excellent care to our visitors and student-athletes.”

G-MAC athletic training staffs are limited to winning the award every other year. Cedarville was previously honored in 2012-13 (Head Athletic Trainer Christopher Cross) and 2014-15 (Head Athletic Trainer Wes Stephens).

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Colin ‘Toledo’ Robinson Earns Larry Ashley Award

Article reposted from Western Hockey League
Author: BC HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

Colin ‘Toledo’ Robinson was presented with the Larry Ashley Award in recognition of his commitment to the sport of hockey in the community. The Kamloops Blazers athletic therapist began his career as a trainer in the WHL in 1995. Prior to joining the Blazers in 2005, “Toledo” worked as the athletic therapist for the Swift Current Broncos and was part of Team Canada’s training staff at two IIHF World Junior Championships and at the World Under-18 Hockey Challenge. He was also chosen as an athletic therapist in three CHL-NHL Top Prospects Games and was a member of the training staff at five WHL All-Star Games. This season, the veteran trainer surpassed 1,500 WHL games.

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Angelo State Named Lone Star Athletic Training Staff of the Year

Article reposted from Angelo Sports.com
author: Angelo Sports.com

The athletic training staff at Angelo State University was recognized by their peers with the 13th annual Lone Star Conference Athletic Training Staff of the Year award for the 2016-17 academic year.

ASU earned its fourth athletic training award for the league, which consists of 11 member institutions with eight in Texas, one in Oklahoma and two in New Mexico.

Troy Hill, the Assistant Athletics Director of Sports Medicine, directs the Ram and Rambelles athletic training staff with assistance from Jaclyn Wood and Ryan Johnson plus graduate assistants Meagan Schrader, Cole Ross, Darolyn Nyhan, Stephannie Bledsoe.

The LSC Athletic Training Staff of the Year award is presented annually to the top institution as voted by the head athletic trainer of each member school.

The purpose of the award is to raise awareness of the athletic training profession. Criteria for the award include the athletic training staff’s hospitality toward visiting athletic trainers and teams; preparedness with supplies, equipment and services for visiting athletic trainers and teams; preparedness for emergency situations; and care for injured athletes from visiting teams.

Lone Star Conference Athletic Training Staff of the Year  

2016-17 Angelo State

2015-16 Midwestern State

2014-15 Texas Woman’s

2013-14 Angelo State

2012-13 Tarleton State

2011-12 Midwestern State

2010-11 Eastern New Mexico

2009-10 Midwestern State

2008-09 Eastern New Mexico and Southwestern Oklahoma

2007-08 Midwestern State, Southeastern Oklahoma and Northeastern State

2006-07 Abilene Christian and Southwestern Oklahoma

2005-06 Angelo State and Southeastern Oklahoma

2004-05 Angelo State and Southwestern Oklahoma

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CSUF Athletic Training awards endowed scholarships

Article reposted from The Orange County Register
Author: 

Cal State Fullerton’s Athletic Training Program hosted its eighth annual Golf Tournament Scholarship Fundraiser at Coyote Hills Golf Course in Fullerton on July 15.

Dr. Robert Kersey, professor of Kinesiology and Director of the Athletic Training Program, said that over the last four to five years, the event has netted between $10,000 to $15,000. He hopes that same figure stands for this past event, which helps endow scholarships for promising Fullerton athletic-training students.

CSUF awarded its third Julie Max endowed scholarship to student Andee Monterone. This is the third Julie Max ’79 endowed scholarship to be awarded to a student, as it honors the school’s legendary head-athletic trainer.

Fullerton also awarded its first-ever Andy Paulin ’78 endowed scholarship to student Jacqueline Miller. Paulin was the second CSUF alum to be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.

“He was very instrumental in moving the profession of athletic training forward,” Kersey said.

Kersey said that Fullerton has had an athletic-training program since the mid to late 1970s. The school obtained its first accreditation in 2001, but before that accreditation wasn’t required, Kersey said.

Roughly 100 to 120 people were involved throughout the golf fundraiser with about 65 golfers participating in the 18-hole match. There was also a dinner afterwards, plus a silent auction and raffle.

“It was a fun afternoon and evening and I think most people had a good time,” Kersey said.

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Joe Cunnane humbled by national most valuable award

Article reposted from The Herald News
Author: CURT HERRON

Things certainly have come a long way for Joe Cunnane and the athletic training program at Lockport since he began working at the school in 1994.

Starting with no training room and eventually becoming one of the leaders in the state, the athletic trainer and teacher is proud of all the advancements and what it has meant for the thousands of Porters’ athletes who have benefited from them.

Because of his tireless efforts over the years, Cunnane recently was recognized by Training & Conditioning as its 2017 Most Valuable Athletic Trainer Award winner. He was honored last month at the National Athletic Trainers Association convention in Houston, which also was attended by his wife and parents.

“It was a really humbling honor, and the neatest part of the whole thing was hearing from some of the alums from those early years, when the athletic training program was just getting underway,” Cunnane said. “When I was a student at Illinois State, one of my mentors used to say that good athletic trainers treat injuries, but great ones prevent them. I don’t know if I’m a great one, but it’s always been a goal of mine as to how can we better prevent things. The world of athletic training continues to evolve, so you have to keep up with that educationally, and it’s a lot of work.”

Lockport athletic director Jim Prunty nominated Cunnane for the award. In his nomination, cited in the May/June edition of the magazine, Prunty wrote, “I am in my 41st year as an educator, and [Joe] is without a doubt the finest athletic trainer with whom I have ever had the pleasure of working. It is both rewarding and inspiring to observe him work with our student-athletes, as he is proactive in preventing potential injuries and extremely caring as he nurtures [athletes] during rehabilitation. It gives me a sense of security knowing we have Joe as our athletic trainer because I understand the quality of his work.”

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

Cunnane knows that the success of the athletic training program is the result of many peoples’ efforts, and he’s more than happy to spread the credit.

“This certainly was not a one-person endeavor,” Cunnane said. “All of the A.D.s during my tenure have been supportive of the program. We haven’t had too many situations where we bumped heads on anything. And we’ve had a lot of people who’ve come through the program and moved on to other things who were great athletic trainers. This has been a great place to work at and I also raise my family here, so we’ve been very fortunate.

“Mike Petty was a board member who was a trainer at Stagg for many years and he saw a need. Kent Irvin, who was the athletic director, embraced the process and he and I were able to do a lot of things together. And with Chris Marszalek, who was the P.E. chair and assistant athletic director, we worked through a lot of things and built what I have a lot of pride in now.

“It certainly was not just myself, there were a lot of people involved. It was great working with people like that, and with athletic secretary Donna Pattison, who were very willing to work with me whenever I came in with requests that there was some value to. That made it much easier to progress the program from its infantile stages to the program that it is.”

Although the high school committed to the program, he originally had no real work place.

“We had an old weight room that had a closet, and the closet became the training room,” Cunnane said. “So there was enough room for me and the person I was taking care of and that was it. With the big addition to the east campus in 1997, I was able to be involved in the creation of the athletic training room that we have now, which is an incredible facility.”

While many schools opt for private firms to handle their athletes, Lockport went with a different approach and Cunnane likes the hybrid model that’s in place.

“There’s a certain sense of stability when the trainer is a teacher or full-time staff member,” Cunnane said. “It’s nice when you have some stability and know that person is going to be there. Obviously you know the kids during the school day and I think it helps to build better rapport with the coaches since you’re not just seeing them when they’re at practice and busy.”

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Michigan Athletic Trainer Honored

Article reposted from tctimnes.com
Author: David Troppens

When one thinks of the last 20 years of Fenton High School athletics, a few images pop into mind.

There are visions of state championship track performers and deep state tournament runs in girls and boys soccer.

There are visions of Metro League football titles and great football playoff victories. There are also images of the coaches that have been around during that time.

However, one other vision probably hit a lot of people’s minds, particularly if you were an athlete over those 20 years  — and that is an image of Fenton’s longtime athletic trainer Mitch Smelis.

Smelis was recently honored for his service by earning the Michigan Athletic Training Society’s (MATS) Secondary Schools Athletic Trainer of the Year award for his two decades of service with Fenton athletics.

 “I’m appreciative of the support and recognition, but at the same time, I want to support and recognize the people that have helped me along the way,” Smelis said. “It takes a team to do it and I’ve had great support.”

“He’s such an invaluable resource for our kids and for our coaches,” Fenton’s athletic director Mike Bakker said. “He brings flexibility to our program from a sports medicine standpoint. The kids have built a level of trust in him and a confidence in his abilities, and with our coaches as well. It helps make us a complete program because they know that Mitch has their best interest involved, and he’s going to do everything he can to get them back on the field to play. … He’s built that rapport with the kids and coaches, so he can be trusted.”

Smelis at Fenton

Smelis will be the first to admit when he came to Fenton he didn’t think he’d be at his position for 20 years. In fact, the athletic director at that time, Scott Thurlow, thought that would be the case as well.

“When I took the position in 1997 they had gone through three athletic trainers with each being one (year) and done,” Smelis said. “I thought I’d be one and done. Thurlow said he wasn’t going to get to know me because he said I was only going to be here for a year and then be gone. I said I was going to come back for a year and a day just to prove him wrong. But one year turned into two years and it kept going. The community grew on me. That’s when I met my wife, who is a teacher in the district. Now we live here and our kids are in (Fenton) schools.”

During his time at Fenton, Smelis became the first one to bring concussion testing and monitoring to Genesee County. He also was chosen to be part of a pilot study on concussion management with the Michigan High School Athletic Association. He’s also a certified CPR, First Aid and Basic Life Support instructor with the American Heart Association. And he’s apparently a great mentor as well. The same year Smelis was honored, an ex-student assistant, Emilee (Anderson) VanHoven was awarded with the Distinguished Service Award.

Smelis continues to enjoy his time at Fenton.

“I’m getting kids from the parents I initially (trained as athletes),” Smelis said. “The trust is there and it helps things move forward. If someone has an injury now we do what it takes to get them back on the field, but we also look at the big picture. We want to make them productive members of the community down the line. There are the old people who are out there that talk about their ‘trick’ knee from an ACL they suffered on a game-winning touchdown. We try to make sure we are not setting them up for future problems by just looking at short-term goals, but the long-term goals as well.”