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Two Longhorn Athletic Training alumni inducted into NATA Hall of Fame

Article reposted from Texassports.com
Author: Texassports.com

Two athletic training alumni from The University of Texas were inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 class on Tuesday night in Houston. Mike O’Shea (University of Houston) and Kathy Dieringer (D&D Sports Medicine) were also presented with their rings by Allen Hardin, UT’s Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sports Medicine at the event.

A 1968 graduate of The University of Texas, O’Shea, MA, LAT, ATC, worked as an athletic trainer at the Air Force Academy while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Following his service, he worked in both the professional and collegiate settings and, since 1993, he has served the University of Houston as head athletic trainer. In 1981, O’Shea wrote a book called “The History and Development of the NATA,” the first book to cover the history of the association. He donated proceeds from book sales to NATA. O’Shea has held many volunteer roles and received numerous awards at the state, district and national levels. He has been honored with the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society Distinguished Alumni Athletic Trainer award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award, University of Houston Alumni Chairs Award, and he will be inducted into the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame this year. The Brenham, Texas native began his career in 1963 as a student assistant athletic trainer at Blinn College. He moved on to a student assistant role at Texas and after his time in the Air Force, earned his master’s degree from Kent State in 1974.

A 1984 graduate of The University of Texas, Dieringer, EdD, LAT, ATCis the co-owner of D&D Sports Med, an outpatient rehabilitation company with three clinics in North Texas. She served two terms on the NATA board of directors from 2012 through 2016; two of which she was also secretary/treasurer. Among her other previous positions were chair of NATA’s Clinical and Emerging Practices Athletic Trainers’ Committee. She also chaired both the Texas Athletic Trainers’ Advisory Board Education Committee and the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association Women in Athletic Training Committee. Dieringer enjoyed terms as president, first vice president, second vice president and recording secretary of NATA District Six and was elected to its Hall of Fame. She received the NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award and Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. Dieringer will also be honored at the Houston meeting with the Gail Weldon Award of Excellence, recognizing one athletic trainer each year who has displayed an exceptional commitment to mentoring, professional development and life balancing for woman athletic trainers or significant contributions to improve the health care of females provided by athletic trainers. Dieringer earned her master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University and doctoral degree from the University of North Texas.

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The “Doc” is in the NATA Hall of Fame

Article reposted from Troymessenger.com
Author: Jaine Treadwell

Troy University’s John “Doc’ Anderson will be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s prestigious Hall of Fame on June 28 in Houston, Texas.

The Hall of Fame is the highest honor an athletic trainer can receive and it’s an honor that Anderson said  “belongs to the university.”

The NATA has 43,000 active members. Anderson said it has just hit him what this means.

“But not just to me, to Troy University,” he said. “It’s Troy. This award belongs to Troy.”

Anderson has enjoyed a career spanning nearly five decades. With the exception of a 10-year stint at Louisiana State University, he has held various roles at Troy University since 1967, including head athletic trainer, professor and program director and now serves as a professor emeritus lecturer.

He was a member of the U.S. Track and Field coaching staff for the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games and served as an athletic trainer for the 1996 Olympic team. Anderson is the founder of Iota Tau Alpha, a national athletic training honor society. Since its inception in 2005, the organization has expanded to more than 100 chapters with more than 4,000 inductees. He previously earned NATA’s Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award and Athletic Trainer Service Award.

Talking about awards and recognitions seems to make Anderson a bit uncomfortable. Although he appreciates the recognition, he would rather talk about his former students and the positive changes that have been brought about through athletic training.

“Students are a university’s most precious commodity,” Anderson said, leaning forward as if putting an exclamation point on that statement. “Students are what this is all about. They and this university are what I’m all about.”

Anderson said Troy University recognizes and supports the role that athletic training plays in today’s world and has given him the reign to so what was needed for the university to move forward as a innovator in the area of athletic training.

“Athletic trainers are like nurses. They operate on evidence-based practices,” Anderson said. “They must receive national certification. Becoming an athletic trainer is not a walk in the park.”

Anderson said the norm at Troy University is that, of 65 applicants for the athletic training program, 18 will be accepted and 12 will graduate. “Seventy percent of our graduates will pass the boards the first time out,” he said. “One hundred percent of our graduates will be placed and they will be heading to high profile jobs.”

Graduates of Troy University’s athletic training program include 52 physical therapists, 10 physician’s assistants, three nurses and three physicians. And those are numbers that almost bring a smile to Anderson’s face.

“Our athletic trainers are trained to be successful,” he said. “They are dedicated, goal oriented individuals and they are continuing to help make a difference in the sports world.”

Anderson cited a 1969 ruling supported by athletic trainers that required mouth guards to be used by high school football players. Gatorade, an in-depth look into Sickle cell disease and concussions, even the dangers of lightning have been items and issues supported by athletic trainers.

“Sports Medicine is influencing the general population,” Anderson said. “Me? I’ve stood on the shoulders of giants – at Auburn, LSU and Troy and giants in Sports Medicine

Dr. James Andrews (Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center), Jack Hughston, (Hughston Clinic) … too many to name.”

Anderson said athletic training has infatuated him, since he was in prep school in New England.

“I’m still infatuated by athletic training,” he said.  It’s research driven and it’s making such a difference. I’ve been lucky to be a small part of it.                   

“And I’ve been blessed to have the opportunities to do the things I’ve been able to do.  Working with so many outstanding individuals and with the students, has been a privilege, not an entitlement. Our students really are our most precious commodities and we have a moral and ethical responsibility to them to give them the best chance at a good life that we can.  I have tried to make the best of my chance at it.”