Susan Cappelli was presented with the Gatorade Secondary School Athletic Trainer Award during the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) Annual Convention. This award recognizes a certified athletic trainer from each of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) ten districts who has made outstanding contributions in furthering his or her high school’s athletic care program or the overall profession of secondary school athletic training.
Cappelli is the Cumberland County representative for the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society (PATS) as well as the President of the Central Pennsylvania Athletic Trainer’s Association. She has tirelessly and excellently served Big Spring High School as their athletic trainer (AT) for the past 18 years.
Jay Hockenbroch, Big Spring High School athletic director says, “she [Cappelli] is a team player, goes the extra mile, and stands true to her training and convictions to bring nothing short of the very best of care to all our athletes at all levels in all sports”.
Assistant Superintendent for Big Spring High School, Kevin Roberts commented, “Through her work, our District has taken notable measures to provide for exemplary treatment of our student athletes, but also has changed dramatically to providing proactive service and information to our student athletes, coaches, staff, and community. This proactive approach has led to better training regimens, dissemination of quality nutritional information, and establishment of key procedures that have dramatically increased the overall safety of our programming.”
Cappelli teaches classes to local EMS about cervical spine injuries, helmet/facemask removal techniques, cardiac and heat related emergencies, and other sports related topics. Last October she spent two weeks in Colorado Springs with the United States Olympic Committees Sports Medicine Volunteer program as an athletic trainer. She is also an athlete in her own right, competing in Ironman Triathlons on a regular basis.
Stefanie Sweger, parent of a student at Big Spring School District, perhaps said it best as to why Cappelli was so deserving of the Gatorade Secondary School Athletic Trainer Award, “I can’t imagine the personal sacrifices that she makes on a daily basis to be present at every sporting event, representing Big Spring and fulfilling her vision for making sure that not just our sons and daughters, but the sons and daughters of our competitors, remain safe and cared for on their fields of play.”
For more information regarding this topic or to schedule an interview with PATS President John Moyer LAT, ATC, please contact Linda Mazzoli MS, LAT, ATC, PATS Executive Director at patsexecutivedirector@gopats.org
The Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society, Inc. is a progressive organization of licensed health care professionals who work under the direction of a licensed physician. Our society continues to increase public awareness and education regarding Athletic Trainers and the Athletic Training profession while serving as the premier source of information for public safety, injury and illness prevention, early intervention, patient care, and healthcare delivery for the physically active in the Commonwealth.
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