New York State Athletic Trainers Association

Posted on October 13, 2016 by ATtoday

NYS Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Athletic Training Recognition Week

Article reposted from Benzinga
Author: PRWeb

The New York State Athletic Trainers’ Association (NYSATA) will hold its 4th annual Athletic Training Recognition Week for schools and organizations across New York State to promote sports safety and honor certified athletic trainers (ATs) for their unique skill-set and athletic healthcare services. After a successful campaign last year, NYSATA is also extending their funding program for NYS secondary schools who are deserving of the Safe Sports School Award.

Albany, NY (PRWEB) October 13, 2016

Athletic Training (AT) Recognition Week was initiated four years ago to promote awareness about the vital need to provide appropriate medical care for all athletes, beginning at the youth and school sports levels. By recognizing certified athletic trainers (ATs) and the unique skill-set they possess to effectively fulfill this role, schools can to show their communities and peers that they value and take pride in providing quality care for their athletes, and set an example for local youth sports to follow. By publicly recognizing their ATs from Friday, October 14th through Sunday, October 23rd with event-specific Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and via social media – #WhosYourAT2016 – schools can take a proactive role in promoting sports safety in their communities and across New York.

While the inherent risk of injury in athletics has always been understood, research and statistics from the past few decades has revealed the critical need of taking appropriate measures for sports safety – including providing qualified medical and healthcare management, such as a certified athletic trainer (AT). With their education and experience in injury prevention, recognition, and emergency management, ATs can help identify potential hazards and risks to address before they cause injury, as well as observe and evaluate injuries as they occur, knowing how to properly distinguish more severe conditions and handle these situations when they arise.

After the success of last year, NYSATA is also extending its funding program for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School Award application for up to five NYS secondary schools. This funding program helped to expand the number of NYS Award recipients from seven to fifteen. Any secondary school who meets the standards can gain recognition for providing appropriate sports safety measures.

Over the past three years, over 50 secondary schools and 20 colleges have gotten involved in promoting Athletic Training Recognition Week! Don’t let your school community be left out – find a way to participate this year.

NYSATA, founded in 1976 and incorporated in 1989, stands to advance, encourage and improve the profession of athletic training (AT) by developing the common interests of its membership for the purpose of enhancing the quality of healthcare for the physically active in NYS. Athletic training is practiced by certified athletic trainers (ATs), who have expertise in the assessment, emergency management, rehabilitation and prevention of acute and chronic sport-related injuries, illnesses and conditions, including concussions. Comprised of over 1,200 certified and practicing athletic trainers, NYSATA is the state-wide affiliate of the regional Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) and District Two of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).

For the original version on PRWeb visit:http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/10/prweb13761913.htm

Posted on March 1, 2016 by ATtoday

New York State Athletic Trainers’ Association Recognizes Award Winners

On Saturday, January 9, 2016, NYSATA announced and recognized the recipients of its 2016 awards and scholarships during the NY state business meeting at the eastern regional athletic training conference in Boston, MA. Two professional awards were presented to nine recipients and four undergraduate student scholarships were announced, including the unveiling of a new memorial scholarship.

The Kent Scriber Recognition Award, named after the NYSATA pioneer, is an Executive Board-nominated award to individuals or groups of individuals who are deserving of recognition for acts, promotion, support and/or service which positively reflect the goals and mission of NYSATA and the profession of athletic training (AT) within New York State. This year, NYSATA is proud to announce two winners of this prestigious award, both providing leadership and service within the organization. The 2016 recipients are Susan Geisler, MA, ATC, PT and Christine Jenkins, MS, ATC.

Susan Geisler serves as Supervisor of Physical Therapy at Cornell University’s Gannett Health Services and is dually credentialed as a physical therapist and athletic trainer. She has been actively involved with NYSATA for several years and has been an active participant in the pursuit of updating the NYS Practice Act for certified athletic trainers. She is currently in the midst of her 5th year as the chair of the NYSATA Reimbursement Committee. Last February, Ms. Geisler participated in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) “Hit the Hill Day”, representing NYS in our nation’s capital to increase the awareness about the profession of athletic training and the safety and healthcare needs for the athletes ATs serve. She attended the BOC Regulatory Conference in Omaha, NE representing the NYSATA and all NYS constituents.

Christine Jenkins, MS, ATC holds the title of Assistant Professor at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY, assists with coverage of athletic events there, and also serves as an adjunct instructor at Russell Sage College. Ms. Jenkins has become an invaluable asset to NYSATA, serving as the Governmental Affairs Committee chair, a position which she has held since 2009 after a stint on NYSATA’s Public Relations Committee. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the profession of AT, specifically in the area of governmental affairs, cannot be rivaled. Overall, NYSATA has made great gains in achieving a closer vision of an updated practice as a direct result of her efforts. Ms. Jenkins has coordinated annual NYSATA Lobby Days in Albany for many years, regularly interacts with our legislative advisor, has helped organize visits for NYS legislators and/or their staff to various AT rooms across NYS, and has individually met with countless legislators and staffers in Albany.

The Joseph Abraham Award, which is given annually to the NYS high school(s) that provide outstanding athletic injury care and athletic training services to the student-athletes of their school, was also announced. Joe Abraham was a pioneer during his 40 years as an athletic trainer and one of the first professionals to recognize the need for quality athletic training programs at the high school level. This year, the Joseph Abraham Award had a record number of applications, and although not all schools received the award, NYSATA was excited and proud to see the amazing work of ATs in high schools across NYS. There are five schools and their seven athletic trainers receiving recognition in 2016: Amsterdam High School – Carla Pasquarelli, ATC; Longwood High School (Middle Island, NY) – Michele Mensch, ATC, CSCS; Riverdale Country School (Bronx, NY) – Lori Gill, MS, ATC, Katie Boushie, ATC and Michael Powers, ATC; Sweet Home High School (Amherst, NY) – Marcy Gerlach, MS, ATC; and Trinity School (New York, NY) – Pablo J. Acosta, ATC. Winning schools whose ATs were not present at the awards ceremony will be officially recognized at their schools this spring with a presentation by a member of the NYSATA Executive Board.

Four undergraduate AT student scholarships were also awarded during the ceremony. The 2016 recipient of the NATA District 2 Scholarship for NYS was Breanna Fortney of the College at Brockport (SUNY). Currently a Junior in the Brockport Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP), Ms. Fortney serves as the Secretary of Brockport’s Sports Medicine Club and is also a member of Phi Epsilon Kappa, National Health & Physical Education Honors Fraternity. She has the distinction of being in Brockport’s Honors College program and is a member of both the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Anne Bae of Stony Brook University received the 2016 NYSATA Scholarship. Currently a senior in the SBU ATEP, Ms. Bae serves as the President of the SBU Sports Medicine & Athletic Training Club, is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, and also received SBU’s Henry and Marsha Laufer Scholarship recipient for the 2015-2016 academic year.

The 2016 Ed Abramoski Scholarship, named for the legendary former Buffalo Bills Head AT, was awarded to Abrianna D’Onofrio of Ithaca College. Currently a senior in Ithaca’s ATEP, Ms. D’Onofrio serves as the President of the Ithaca College Athletic Training Student Association, was accepted to recently present a professional abstract at the eastern regional AT conference (EATA), and was also awarded Ithaca’s Laurence S. Hill and Adrian M. Newens Scholarship in the Health Professions.

NYSATA was pleased to announce the addition of a fourth scholarship that was developed in late 2015 to honor a long-time friend and colleague, Paul DeMartinis, who lost his battle with cancer in September. DeMartinis was a huge proponent of athletic training and a dedicated MEDCO employee for 25 years. During his career he served two terms on the Board of Certification Board of Directors, and in 2012 Paul was given the Dan Libera Service Award for outstanding service to that organization. The recipient of the inaugural Paul DeMartinis Memorial Scholarship was Trevor Thompson of Ithaca College. Currently a Junior in Ithaca’s ATEP, Mr. Thompson is an active member of the Athletic Training Student Association and has earned academic recognition on the Dean’s List. He was also the recipient of Ithaca’s Flora Brown Scholarship and Grant Egbert Scholarship.

As National Athletic Training Month (NATM) 2016 begins, please join us in congratulating all of our 2016 Award and Scholarship recipients on their achievements, service, drive and contributions to the profession of athletic training!

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/03/prweb13238733.htm

Posted on October 8, 2015 by ATtoday

NYS Athletic Trainers’ Association Sponsors 3rd Annual Athletic Training Recognition Week

Athletic Training (AT) Recognition Week should help demonstrate and publicize the vital need to provide appropriate medical care for all athletes, beginning at the youth and school sports levels. By recognizing certified athletic trainers (ATs) and the unique skill-set they possess to effectively fulfill this role, schools can to show their communities and peers that they value and take pride in providing quality care for their athletes, and set an example for local youth sports to follow. By publicly recognizing their ATs from Friday, October 9th through Sunday, October 18th with event-specific Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and via social media – #WhosYourAT2015 – schools can take a proactive role in promoting sports safety.

As part of the event this year, NYSATA is proud and excited to announce that it will provide funding for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School Award application for ten NYS secondary schools! After approving the funding in July at the semi-annual Board meeting, the NYSATA leadership has been anxious to unveil this initiative. Currently, there are only seven Safe Sports School Award recipients in New York and NYSATA is well aware that there are numerous secondary schools in our state that provide an excellent standard of care to our young athletes and wanted to provide an opportunity for them to receive the recognition they deserve.

Over the past two years, a total of nearly 50 secondary schools and 20 colleges have gotten involved in promoting Athletic Training Recognition Week and the event went viral nationally on social media last year! Don’t let your school community be left out – find a way to participate in 2015!

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/10/prweb13011028.htm

Posted on October 8, 2015 by ATtoday

The handiwork of athletic trainers is worth celebrating

How many fingers am I holding up?

Thankfully, we’ve graduated from that Cro-Magnon test for concussions and put some knowledge into play. Athletic trainers have slowly become part of the high school landscape, and we have more of them on the sidelines in Section 1 than anywhere in the state.

It’s a movement worth celebrating.

And we get an opportunity to do just that Friday when Athletic Training Recognition Week gets under way. The initiative was started three years ago. It’s an opportunity for members of the New York State Athletic Trainers Association to educate the rub-some-dirt-on-it holdovers

These dedicated individuals are no longer a luxury.

“We’re lucky in Section 1 where 70 percent of the high schools have a full-time athletic trainer,” said Dave Byrnes, the Yorktown ATC who’s become a sideline fixture. “It’s likely due to demographics. There is more financial support, but I don’t think any school can justify not having one.”

Amen.

“Invaluable,” is how Mahopac athletic director John Augusta describes the contributions of Brenna Lape at the school. “It’s so much more advanced now, especially the concussion protocol. There’s injury prevention and injury rehabilitation. She puts in long, long hours, before during and after the games.”

According to the Korey Stringer Institute’s ongoing survey, only 27 percent of the high schools in New York State employ a full-time athletic trainer.

Talk about tempting fate.

Who do you want looking after your kids? I’m voting for the exemplary coach with perspective and passion working in concert with the dedicated advocate for health and wellness.

Many of the districts in Section 1 that do not employ a full-time athletic trainer are contracting services on a part-time basis.

Here’s a thought. If your high school is currently among the 5-10 percent without a certified athletic trainer on board, make a phone call. Ask for the logic.

Most districts spend in the neighborhood of $60,000 a year on athletic training.

“I’ve been doing this for 27 years, and there is not one negative,” said Carol Guzinski, the varsity ATC for North Rockland. “Parents, in general, are overjoyed with the care their kids are getting. Before, every single kid with an injury would have to go to the doctor and the school district would have to pay for that. Now we’re only sending kids who need to see a doctor.”

The job description for these folks is lengthy.

It’s virtually impossible to cover an entire campus so athletic trainers start each season by educating coaches on basics. There are injury evaluations and therapeutic exercises to conduct each day before practice or games.

“A lot of my time is spent on the phone with parents, therapists and doctors getting updates,” Guzinski said.

There’s any number of creaky ankles, elbows, knees and wrists that need taping after school. Sometimes a college intern stops by to help. And then it’s off to patrol the sidelines where they often keep an eye on both teams.

It’s a long day.

Guzinski is a willing confidante, as well, on call 24 hours.

“Sometimes a kid will not go to a coach with an injury because they’re afraid to lose playing time,” she noted. “Once they know my goal is to keep them in practice and keep them in games, they’re comfortable telling me there’s an issue. A lot of these kids have our phone numbers, they call us by our first names. It’s a more casual relationship.”

Byrnes also spends countless hours advocating for proper care and isn’t shy about speaking up when he sees a potentially dangerous situation.

“I certainly try to keep my emotions in check,” he said. “There are times I feel like I have to educate the officials, maybe open their eyes a little bit. I’m there to protect my players at all times.”

And they have so many peers around the state who match that level of dedication all year long.

None of them have ever diagnosed a concussion with fingers in the air. When athletes need more than a hand up or a kind word, let’s hope there’s a certified athletic trainer on site to dispense the necessary calm and compassion.

In an effort to recognize the efforts of athletic trainers in Section 1, we’re asking student/athletes to tweet a photo of their school’s ATC in action this week to @lohudsports and we’ll share them.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://www.lohud.com/story/sports/columnists/mike-dougherty/2015/10/07/handiwork-athletic-trainers-worth-celebrating/73539222/