The National Athletic Trainers’ Association, a nonprofit organization representing and supporting members of the athletic training profession, will induct eight individuals into its prestigious Hall of Fame at the NATA 66th Clinical Symposia and AT Expo in St. Louis on Thursday, June 25. The Hall of Fame is the highest honor an athletic trainer can receive. Honorees will be recognized for their significant, lasting contributions that enhance the quality of health care provided by athletic trainers and advance the profession. They have shaped the profession through their noteworthy accomplishments and dedication to service, leadership and professionalism. Since inducting its first class in 1962, the Hall of Fame now has 296 members.
The 2015 Hall of Fame inductees include Tina Bonci, MS, ATC, LAT; David Carrier, MA, ATC; Malissa Martin, EdD, ATC; Terry Noonan, MS, ATC, LAT; Russ Richardson, EdD, ATC; Brian Robinson, MS, ATC; Sandra Shultz, PhD, ATC, FNATA; and Thomas Weidner, PhD, ATC, FNATA.
Brian Robinson, MS, ATC, has impacted the profession through his passionate advocacy for athletic trainers, particularly those in secondary schools. As the head athletic trainer at Glenbrook South High School from 1977 to 2014, he established an athletic training program that set a precedent for secondary school athletic training programs across the United States. At Glenbrook South, he developed a concussion management program, a rehabilitation program for injured athletes and a database for tracking injuries and treatment plans. Robinson’s efforts as chair of the Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee, along with his countless presentations, articles and television appearances, have advanced the role and recognition of the secondary school AT and vastly improved the health care for secondary school athletes.
Robinson spoke about the honor to the IHSA, saying:
“Since there are few high school athletic trainers in the NATA Hall of Fame, the recognition is very gratifying but as you know, anyone that works with high school students never got into education for the awards. I had the privilege of providing comprehensive athletic health care to high school student-athletes for 38 years; 37 of those in Illinois at Glenbrook South. When I began there were very few athletic trainers in high schools in Illinois. Today over 60% percent of Illinois high schools have the services of an athletic trainer. Hopefully soon, every Illinois high school student-athlete will have access to an athletic trainer on a daily basis.
I guess the bottom line is that I view this award as confirmation that providing a comprehensive athletic health care program is an integral component of educational athletics within the high school community. That our high school student-athletes deserve the same quality health care as collegiate and professional athletes.
It's a bit awkward to receive such a prestigious award for doing something that you've loved and never seemed like work.”