DALLAS, June 6, 2011 – The National Athletic Trainers’ Association, a nonprofit organization representing and supporting members of the athletic training profession, will induct nine individuals into its prestigious Hall of Fame at the NATA 62nd annual meeting in New Orleans on Tuesday, June 21.The Hall of Fame is the highest honor an athletic trainer can receive. Honorees will be recognized for their work in advancing the athletic training profession, including scholarly research, clinical advancements and strong leadership. Since inducting its first class in 1962, the Hall of Fame now has 260 members.
The 2011 Hall of Fame inductees includes Marcia Anderson, PhD, ATC, LAT; Chuck Kimmel, ATC, LAT; Larry Leverenz, PhD, ATC; Andy Paulin, ATC; Jerry Robertson, MEd, ATC, LAT;Larry Starr, ATC, LAT, CSCS; Barrie Steele, MS, ATC, LAT; Jerry Weber, ATC, PT; and Roy Don Wilson.
Marcia Anderson, PhD, ATC, LAT, is professor/program director at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Mass., a role she has held since 1981. She previously worked in Iowa as physical education/health instructor and coach at Jesup Community Schools from 1972-1973 and at North Fayette Community Schools from 1973-1978. She currently serves as liaison to the Board of Certification Exam Development Committee and is athletic trainer at large for the Board of Certification (BOC) board of directors. Anderson has been lead author on eight books and chapters, and has served as a reviewer for the Journal of Athletic Training.
Chuck Kimmel, ATC, LAT, has been the director of the Injury Clinic at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., since 2007. Before moving into the clinical setting in health services, he was employed by Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., as head athletic trainer from 1981-1991, and assistant director of athletics from 1991-2006. He previously served as an assistant athletic trainer at East Tennessee State University from 1978-1981. Kimmel served on the NATA board of directors beginning in 2000 and was elected president in 2004.
Larry Leverenz, PhD, ATC, has been a clinical professor and program director at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., since 1991. He previously served as an athletic trainer at University of Iowa from 1986-1991 and professor/program director at Western Illinois University from 1979-1985. Leverenz has been a volunteer with the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy since 2005. He has volunteered with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs for 11 years, serving as its president from 1999-2002.
Andy Paulin, ATC, has been working as an athletic trainer at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., since 1983. He is also an approved clinical instructor at Azusa Pacific University, Chapman University, California State University, Long Beach and California State University, Fullerton. Paulin previously served as coordinator of sports medicine for special events at Mt. San Antonio from 1983-2003. He was president of the California Athletic Trainers’ Association from 1991-1996 and served on the NATA board of directors as District Eight director from 2002-2008.
Jerry Robertson, MEd, ATC, LAT, has been director of sports medicine at Watauga Orthopaedics in Johnson City, Tenn., since 2003. Previously, he held roles at East Tennessee State University including head athletic trainer and curriculum director. He created the first undergraduate athletic training education program in Tennessee. He developed the university’s graduate assistant high school outreach program, and the athletic department’s medicine center was named in his honor. Robertson was elected president of NATA’s District 9 in 1988 and served on the NATA board of directors from 1991-1994.
Larry Starr, ATC, LAT, CSCS, is currently president at Starr Athletic Solutions, LLC, and adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He was the assistant athletic director for sports medicine at Nova Southeastern from 2002-2010, and he previously served as the head athletic trainer for the Florida Marlins and Cincinnati Reds. Starr was the first certified athletic trainer in major league baseball. He has been part of four world championship teams and was the National League athletic trainer for five All-Star Games. From 1968-1971, Starr was an assistant athletic trainer at Ohio University.
Barrie Steele, MS, ATC, LAT, is director/head athletic trainer at University of Idaho in Moscow, a role he has held since 1986. He previously served as assistant athletic trainer at Washington State University in Pullman from 1980-1986. He has worked on numerous NATA committees and served on the board of directors; in addition, he served as president, past-president, secretary/treasurer and College/University chair for the Northwest Athletic Trainers’ Association. He was vice president of the Idaho Athletic Trainers’ Association from 1989-1991 and currently serves on the Idaho Board of Athletic Trainers.
Jerry Weber, ATC, PT, is the head athletic trainer and associate director of athletic medicine at University of Nebraska in Lincoln, where he has worked since 1977. Before this position, he was employed at the University of Nebraska as head athletic trainer and physical therapist from 1994-1996 and associate/assistant head athletic trainer and physical therapist from 1977-1991. Weber was the NATA District Five director from 1987-1990 and served as NATA vice president from 1989-1990. He also acted as coordinator and host of the District Five Annual Spring Symposium from 1978-1990.
Roy Don Wilson was the director and partner of the Sports Rehab Clinic in Houston from 1988 until his death in 1992. Previously, he worked in numerous collegiate settings, including his time as head athletic trainer at the University of Kentucky and the Citadel. Wilson was involved with NATA Districts Six and Three and is in the District Nine Hall of Fame. He is co-author of licensure laws in Kentucky and Louisiana and had been appointed by governors of Louisiana, Texas and Kentucky to speak on behalf of the profession. He fought for licensure and recognition of clinical athletic trainers.
“On behalf of the entire NATA, we salute the Class of 2011,” says Rochel Rittgers, ATC, NATA Honors & Awards Committee chair. “We applaud their contributions, passion for the profession, and the work that they continue to do.”
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) – Health Care for Life & Sport
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 34,000 members of the athletic training profession. Visit www.nata.org.
The 2011 Hall of Fame inductees includes Marcia Anderson, PhD, ATC, LAT; Chuck Kimmel, ATC, LAT; Larry Leverenz, PhD, ATC; Andy Paulin, ATC; Jerry Robertson, MEd, ATC, LAT;Larry Starr, ATC, LAT, CSCS; Barrie Steele, MS, ATC, LAT; Jerry Weber, ATC, PT; and Roy Don Wilson.
Marcia Anderson, PhD, ATC, LAT, is professor/program director at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Mass., a role she has held since 1981. She previously worked in Iowa as physical education/health instructor and coach at Jesup Community Schools from 1972-1973 and at North Fayette Community Schools from 1973-1978. She currently serves as liaison to the Board of Certification Exam Development Committee and is athletic trainer at large for the Board of Certification (BOC) board of directors. Anderson has been lead author on eight books and chapters, and has served as a reviewer for the Journal of Athletic Training.
Chuck Kimmel, ATC, LAT, has been the director of the Injury Clinic at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., since 2007. Before moving into the clinical setting in health services, he was employed by Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., as head athletic trainer from 1981-1991, and assistant director of athletics from 1991-2006. He previously served as an assistant athletic trainer at East Tennessee State University from 1978-1981. Kimmel served on the NATA board of directors beginning in 2000 and was elected president in 2004.
Larry Leverenz, PhD, ATC, has been a clinical professor and program director at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., since 1991. He previously served as an athletic trainer at University of Iowa from 1986-1991 and professor/program director at Western Illinois University from 1979-1985. Leverenz has been a volunteer with the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy since 2005. He has volunteered with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs for 11 years, serving as its president from 1999-2002.
Andy Paulin, ATC, has been working as an athletic trainer at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., since 1983. He is also an approved clinical instructor at Azusa Pacific University, Chapman University, California State University, Long Beach and California State University, Fullerton. Paulin previously served as coordinator of sports medicine for special events at Mt. San Antonio from 1983-2003. He was president of the California Athletic Trainers’ Association from 1991-1996 and served on the NATA board of directors as District Eight director from 2002-2008.
Jerry Robertson, MEd, ATC, LAT, has been director of sports medicine at Watauga Orthopaedics in Johnson City, Tenn., since 2003. Previously, he held roles at East Tennessee State University including head athletic trainer and curriculum director. He created the first undergraduate athletic training education program in Tennessee. He developed the university’s graduate assistant high school outreach program, and the athletic department’s medicine center was named in his honor. Robertson was elected president of NATA’s District 9 in 1988 and served on the NATA board of directors from 1991-1994.
Larry Starr, ATC, LAT, CSCS, is currently president at Starr Athletic Solutions, LLC, and adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He was the assistant athletic director for sports medicine at Nova Southeastern from 2002-2010, and he previously served as the head athletic trainer for the Florida Marlins and Cincinnati Reds. Starr was the first certified athletic trainer in major league baseball. He has been part of four world championship teams and was the National League athletic trainer for five All-Star Games. From 1968-1971, Starr was an assistant athletic trainer at Ohio University.
Barrie Steele, MS, ATC, LAT, is director/head athletic trainer at University of Idaho in Moscow, a role he has held since 1986. He previously served as assistant athletic trainer at Washington State University in Pullman from 1980-1986. He has worked on numerous NATA committees and served on the board of directors; in addition, he served as president, past-president, secretary/treasurer and College/University chair for the Northwest Athletic Trainers’ Association. He was vice president of the Idaho Athletic Trainers’ Association from 1989-1991 and currently serves on the Idaho Board of Athletic Trainers.
Jerry Weber, ATC, PT, is the head athletic trainer and associate director of athletic medicine at University of Nebraska in Lincoln, where he has worked since 1977. Before this position, he was employed at the University of Nebraska as head athletic trainer and physical therapist from 1994-1996 and associate/assistant head athletic trainer and physical therapist from 1977-1991. Weber was the NATA District Five director from 1987-1990 and served as NATA vice president from 1989-1990. He also acted as coordinator and host of the District Five Annual Spring Symposium from 1978-1990.
Roy Don Wilson was the director and partner of the Sports Rehab Clinic in Houston from 1988 until his death in 1992. Previously, he worked in numerous collegiate settings, including his time as head athletic trainer at the University of Kentucky and the Citadel. Wilson was involved with NATA Districts Six and Three and is in the District Nine Hall of Fame. He is co-author of licensure laws in Kentucky and Louisiana and had been appointed by governors of Louisiana, Texas and Kentucky to speak on behalf of the profession. He fought for licensure and recognition of clinical athletic trainers.
“On behalf of the entire NATA, we salute the Class of 2011,” says Rochel Rittgers, ATC, NATA Honors & Awards Committee chair. “We applaud their contributions, passion for the profession, and the work that they continue to do.”
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) – Health Care for Life & Sport
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 34,000 members of the athletic training profession. Visit www.nata.org.
