Presidents Message

NORTHWEST ATHLETIC TRAINERS’ ASSOCIATION

March 19, 2008

            On behalf of the Executive Board of the Northwest Athletic Trainers Association – District 10, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who attended our annual meeting and clinical symposium in Bellevue.  The meeting provided affordable CEU opportunities to over 480 registered members.  This marks the largest clinical symposium in our associations’ history.  Special thanks go out to Tony Fitzpatrick and George Goodrich, our District Meeting Staff.  In addition our appreciation is extended to Patrick Jenkins, (local committee chairman), Rob Scheidegger, and Rick O’Leary (local committee members) for developing and running an outstanding symposium.  The local committee volunteered an incredible amount of time and energy producing an exceptional program.

            In other district related news, we are now “officially incorporated.”  This is an important step in our maturation as an organization.  As the result of this, we are better positioned to protect and insure the entire membership in the event of an issue against our association.  We also approved new bylaws for the NWATA.  These will replace our outdated constitution and bylaws.  The new bylaws are reflective of our current practices as an association and allow us to do business more efficiently.  Special thanks go out to Erin Cramer for his efforts to shepherd this long process to fruition. Those new bylaws will be posted soon on our website.

            As the result of those bylaw changes, the Nominating Committee of the association (chaired by Tom Koto, Immediate Past President) is seeking candidates for the position of District Secretary.  If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit a letter of interest and a current vita to Tom Koto at tkoto@aol.com . We hope to run this election as soon as we have a viable pool of candidates. It is our hope that the newly elected secretary will be in place by our meeting in St. Louis.  If you have any questions about the position, please feel free to contact Russ Richardson (current Secretary/Treasurer) at rrichardson@whitworth.edu . The executive board is also seeking a replacement for Todd Sandberg as the chair of the Hall of Fame/Honors and Awards committee for the district.  Todd has done an exceptional job in developing our recognition program for district awards.  If interested in serving the district in this very important role, please submit a letter of interest and a current vita to me ASAP.
Speaking of awards, the following district members were honored at the 2008 Annual Business Meeting:


Educator Award:

• Melinda Larson

Melinda teaches in an CAATE accredited ATEP at Whitworth College.  Her content specialty is in the theory and application of Therapeutic Modalities.  She is also charged with the clinical instruction for the Seniors in the Program.  She does an exceptional job in staying current in the rapidly changing field of modalities.  She reads, studies, and attends workshops in order to prepare students with the most current thoughts.  She is considered by students to be the most rigorous professor in the program,  She has spoken regionally on applications of Therapeutic Ultra Sound and Electrical Stimulation.  As an ACI's she has been the direct link to putting together our entire curriculum and clinical experience as she prepares our students for the BOC Exam.  She thinks hard and deep and then explains complex material in a way that empors student learning.  She was recognized by the University as one the outstanding faculty in the entire institution in 2005 (over 12 faculty).  Her teaching excellence extends beyond just Athletic Training.  She was recently named to the NATA's Continuing Education committee.  That appointment is in recognition of her exceptional ability as an Athletic Training Educator. 

Outstanding Service Awards:

• Jill Allen

During the past couple of years Jill Allen has be very involved with the WSATA legislation efforts.  She attended all the legislative sessions pertaining to the licensure bill and even testified on our behalf at one of the hearings.  She even made the time to meet with her legislators in person and talk with them about the importance of licensure.    Jill did a lot of behind the scenes work in contacting certified athletic trainers by telephone and email asking them to get involved.   She is fiery and energetic women who continuously gave 110% to help Washington State Athletic Trainers Association achieve their goal of licensure in a time when motivation was needed

• Tony Fitzpatrick

Tony’s  nominator starts off describing this person as one of the hardest working, multi-taskers that they have ever known.  Not only is he a secondary HS teacher/athletic trainer but also serves on the NATA Secondary School Athletic Trainer Committee and chairs the annual meeting and clinical symposium for the NWATA.  This task literally requires an immense amount of time and effort each year negotiating site contracts to organizing, supervising and directing the local committee.  He approaches each task with a postive, energetic and enthusistic manner.  His energy is described as infectious.  Through all his service he is a very humble professional.  He sincerely has the care of his athletes and our profession at the center of his heart.  That is the kind of leadership that our profession and association was founded on. 

• Patrick Olsen

Patrick has been exemplified service at many levels at his HS.  He wears many hats daily; mentor, teacher and Certified Athletic Trainer.  Over the past decade he has created one of the finest high school sports medicine programs in the nation.  His multi-level vocational program is a model program.  He designed his sports medicine facility which is a convertible sports medicine classroom and athletic training room.   The program has won 8 straight WVSMA State Sports Medicine Championships.  His students have also traveled nationally, placing very high at national level sports medicine competitions.  He has implemented the present Athletic Medicine program which now includes six full classes with 150+ students enrolled.   He has elevated high school athletic training to another level both as an athletic medicine instructor and certified athletic trainer.  He has also worked with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to create the Frameworks for all sports medicine programs in the State of Washington. 

Outgoing Committee Chairs

• Mike Coco                  Career Center
• Tony Fitzpatrick          High School
• Mike Ediger                CUATS
• Todd Sandberg           Honors, Awards/Hall of Fame
• Chris Murphy              District Meeting Coordinator
• Gary Craner                Ethics

Scholarship Recipients

Undergraduate
Naseby Rhinehart    $1500                   Christopher Neumann    Oregon State University
Richard Irvin          $1500                    Brenna Krajecki              Linfield College
NWATA educators Award $1500       Jessica Raden                  University of Montana - Missoula
Whitesel Pro Sports Therapy   $500    Christopher Hawley        Linfield College

Graduate
Bill Robertson   $1500                      Ken Kladnik                     Northcentral/ Central Washington
Bob Peterson   $1500                        Charles Ledddon              Oregon State University
Benik         $500                                Leslie Rodriguez*            Eastern Washington University

            At the annual business meeting in Bellevue, I showed a PowerPoint on the NATA Involve/Evolve program.  You can access that PowerPoint on our website.  The theme of the presentation describes the ways in which the NATA is working to prepare for the future growth and development of our ever changing, complex, profession and association.  Our district association has reflected that theme through the hard work and dedication necessary to complete the many tasks we have dealt with this year. 

The next meeting of our association is Tuesday June 17th at 4 pm in St. Louis.  Minutes of the Bellevue meeting will be posted soon on our website at http://nwata.net/.  The Executive Board is available to serve you, the membership of this great association.  On behalf of the board, I would like to thank each of you for your continued support and professional integrity as we grow and develop.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Yours in Athletic Training,

Barrie Steele
Director/President
NWATA District 10
208-885-0212