HUNTINGTON, W.

Thursday, March 14, 2002

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – They help prevent and treat athletic injuries and rehabilitate athletes who have been injured. This is their month to shine.

March is National Athletic Trainers’ Month and in order to celebrate, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association has announced that injury prevention will be the focus of the celebration. Certified athletic trainers nationwide will be recognized during the national health event, celebrated each March, with the theme "Prevention: Avoid Injury – Stay Active."

Most people who have watched sporting events have some familiarity with the role athletic trainers play. When a player is injured, the trainer is usually the first person on the field or court offering aid to the injured player.

But the role of athletic trainers extends beyond the playing fields and locker rooms.

Dr. Dan Martin, the director of Marshall University’s athletic training program, said trainers are finding employment in a multitude of non-traditional offices. Trainers, he said, are landing jobs in clinics, working alongside physical therapists, and in places such as the FBI Academy, Disney World and SeaWorld.

The job market for trainers, Martin said, has went flat at the university/college and professional levels. Most of these positions are filled and there’s very little turnover. It’s at the high school and middle school level, and in clinics, where the job market opens up for trainers.

Martin said that high schools and middles schools are traditionally under served. The program at Marshall allows athletic training students, if they wish, to major in both education and athletic training, opening the door for more job opportunities.

Gary McIlvain, an assistant professor in the athletic training program, said salaries range widely depending on where the new trainer finds a job. He said new trainers with no experience can expect to make within the range of $25,000 – $35,000. Some can make more by taking teaching positions in high schools and middle schools. McIlvain said students are also finding good paying jobs in Virginia, Texas, and the Carolinas.

McIlvain added that students are also encouraged to continue their education in a graduate program.

This summer, several tragic sports-related deaths dominated headlines across the country reporting a need for increased focus on injury prevention. During March, ATCs will step forward to give the public firsthand knowledge of the importance of preventative care for any type of physical activity.

"This year’s theme centers on the ATC’s primary area of focus – injury prevention," stated NATA President Julie Max. "In March, our goal is to advance the public’s knowledge of injury prevention and to build awareness of the growing importance of the athletic training profession."

The NATA, based in Dallas, Texas, is a not-for-profit organization with more than 27,000 members nationwide. The NATA’s mission is to enhance the quality of health care for athletes and those engaged in physical activity, and to advance the profession of athletic training through education and research in the prevention, evaluation, management and rehabilitation of injuries.