2024

Jarrett Friday - Jarrett is an incredible steward of the NCATA's finances and has been able to innovate to create a situation where we can honor our hall of famers and create a financially healthy association. He is thoughtful, listens to all opinions and takes pride in everything he does. His impact on the association far exceeds just writing checks. His wisdom and thoughtfulness is involved in every decision that is made. He works with the other treasurers in the MAATA to help create and offer his expertise to their financial situation. He took information from our financial advisors and although things were looking bleak at the beginning he trusted his information and demonstrated so much courage, when many, myself included, didn't know if this was the best decision, and ended up creating a significant increase in our savings putting us in a wonderful financial situation. Much of his work goes unknown to most but his leadership has been an incredible asset to our association.

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Dr. John Neidecker - Dr. Neidecker is a vocal advocate for comprehensive sports medicine care across all levels of competition, ranging from youth leagues to professional athletes and encompassing diverse settings like Ring Side Sports Medicine and Physician practices. Continuously increasing his expertise, publishing insightful articles, and fostering collaborations with Athletic Trainers and fellow sports medicine professionals, he consistently strives to enhance care for athletes.

 

2023

Bobby Guthrie - Quoted by Nina Walker, Bobby has been an integral part of our long standing relationship with the NC Sports Hall of Fame. His tenacity and advocacy for the importance of AT recognition of athletic trainers in the athlete journey to the Hall of Fame has been incredible. His advocacy has propelled us to being able to be a contributor to the NCSHOF organization, association recognition at the NC SHOF banquet and relationship with the NC Museum of History as a primary location for our legislative advocacy events.  We were even able to create an exhibit at the museum to celebrate NATM. 

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Nothing is better than seeing his smiling face and warm affect as we set up for the events in Raleigh, which are vital in getting a presence with our legislators. He always goes above and beyond when working with us, making sure that we as an association have a great experience and introducing us to the many contacts he has. Bobby has had such an incredible behind the scène impact on athletic trainers all over the state. He has had an immeasurable impact on advocacy, and forged a relationship with the Sports Hall of Fame that will pay dividends for years to come. 

 

Ken Brown - Quoted by Jim Bazluki, Ken has been a vital part of the NCATA community and Member of our Hall of Fame. In 2015 he was appointed NCHSAA Sports Medicine Consultant. He was the first person to hold this position. He was innovative and really gave ATs a seat at the table with the NCHSAA. His ability to understand the needs of both sides has led to a more productive SMAC committee, increased celebration of ATs that have saved lives, and working to make the position of first responder more regulated. He is a constant advocate of athletic trainers and the NCATA. You can always be guaranteed that he will be supporting us at any event we are at. 

 

His smile, kind words of encouragement and knowledge of the needs of administrators is so very helpful in our advocacy with them. His dedication to the NCATA and ATs is unprecedented, and his presence will be missed as he enjoys some very well deserved retirement. There are no words that I can adequately use to describe his service to this profession and his friendship to most of us. So I will just say he will be missed so much.

Mt. Olive Family Medicine Center - Quoted by Dr. Ashley Long, “Mt. Olive Family Medicine Center (MOFMC) is a state-designated rural health center, serving patients in eastern North Carolina. The practice provides access to those underserved populations who would otherwise be unable to receive needed primary care service due to geographic, transportation, educational, economic or other barriers.” 

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MOFMC’s service region covers the Health Provider Shortage Area (HPSA) in the highest designation of need and the NC Department of Commerce’s Tier 1 counties which are the most economically distressed.  In short, MOFMC serves many patients who have high barriers to good health and they do this as an independent, non-profit medical center. The small practice does an immeasurable amount of good with a small, but mighty staff.

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During the global pandemic of COVID-19 sports were, essentially, discontinued and the concussion clinic had no activity.  Instead of abandoning the program, MOFMC doubled down, seeking money from the state budget to add an athletic trainer to the program.  Since that time, MOFMC has established a formal agreement with Duplin County schools, the first of its kind, to offer outreach concussion education and care to the athletes in their middle and high schools.  It has a vision of further expanding the program, bringing athletic healthcare and hiring athletic trainers to educate, evaluate, and treat the athletes that are most in need of access to care.

 

2022

​Dr. Charles E. Konrad has demonstrated his high esteem for Certified Athletic Trainers during his educational meetings, in which he looks to learn from our profession as much as to educate ATs about different aspects of weather and heat related illness.  He has dedicated an enormous amount of time and money to developing tools for our profession to allow us to better serve our patients and to help improve our practice. I have been in several meetings with Dr. Konrad and have always been impressed with his knowledge and support of our profession. Dr. Charles E. Konrad is a very deserving recipient of the NCATA Presidential Award.

 

Dr. Mark Galland Throughout an athletic trainer’s career, it isn’t uncommon to encounter physicians that understand and support our profession, but it is a rarity to find one that is a true  advocate of our profession and is willing to go above and beyond to create positive change.

 

Not only does Dr. Galland understand the importance of athletic trainers in our more traditional settings, he is a champion of athletic trainers in the physician practice setting, constantly pushing the envelope for us to expand our scope and skillset. Far before they were settled within the BOC, Dr. Galland had established an athletic training fellowship/ residency. He has mentored numerous athletic trainers through his program, providing with them with the skills to

excel as they went on to practice in physician practices and other clinic settings.

 

Paula Guerrero has been a supporter of the NCATA for over 20+ years. Paula is not an Athletic Trainer, however she is the wife of one. Mike Guerrero, a NCATA Hall of Famer and for as long as I can remember our point man for our NCATA Annual Meeting registration. Since Paula and Mike got married not only did she marry Mike but she married the NCATA. She has been with Mike and has assisted in all preparations that go into the Annual Meeting. At every NCATA meeting Paula was behind that registration table and would greet you with a smile. Everything has a bit of Paula in it.

 

Over the years she has assisted Mike with registrations, speakers, awards, name badges, special events, speaker gifts and the list could go on. Paula and the connections that she had by working for Dr. Lymon Smith of Raleigh Orthopedics was able to support some NCATA events with sponsorships and donations that she was able to secure. Dr. Smith was a huge supporter of Athletic Trainers and I know Paula had an influence in some of that. Paula is an awesome candidate for our award. Her willingness to support our organization for so long is something very special and possibly underappreciated.

 

Felicia Hall has been nominated by the Presidents for her outstanding service to the NCATA. She has led our honors and awards for as long as we can remember, paying tribute to all in our state, so we are pleased to finally give her the recognition she deserves. Felicia’s organization and sincere love for highlighting the great things that ATs have done in our state made her the perfect leader for this committee.

 

She has also used her talents to expand the social media scope to include much more professional looking posts, regular communication from the H and A committee and for all of our social media outlets. She has a true servant's heart and was able to increase her involvement this year even with a busy schedule, challenging year and pursuing her doctorate. Any time she was asked to help, she did so with a smile. We appreciate her tireless dedication and service to the association and profession. We are so honored to recognize Dr. Felicia Hall.

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2021

Dan Brown, Radeas

Quoted by Nina Walker, “His recognition of the versatile skills led to the employment of many ATs at Radeas COVID testing sites in Wake County. This was vital during a time when many ATs in traditional settings were being furloughed due to lack of sport participation and the job market had dried up for young professionals who had recently graduated. He understood the profession well enough to recognize that ATs excel in organization, leadership, customer service and complex logistical tasks. He utilized ATs in leadership positions, like supervisors, to help with the organization, inventory, set up and break down of events. He equated these tasks to the duty of setting up for away football games and creating a new medical space every weekend.”

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He noted that ATs excelled at problem solving, managing flow and assisting in all operations at these events. He also recognized the importance of hiring individuals that matched the community that he was serving, by hiring a diverse AT work staff and utilizing many bilingual ATs to help reach community members that had difficulty communicating otherwise. I would like to recognize Dan and Radeus labs for their innovation in recognition that athletic trainers are healthcare workers that possess unique skills that translate far beyond the athletic field. Radeus allowed ATs to participate in helping communities, some underserved, have access to free, well organized and professionally supported COVID testing, when without this resource they may not have had the access  to the healthcare that was needed.

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2020

Nancy Groh, Assistant Professor, and the Clinical Education Coordinator, in the Athletic Training Education Program at High Point University. She was elected by her peers to serve as the Secretary of the NCATA for the 2020-2022 term. Nancy Groh is an exceptional educator and continues to inspire others through her work with athletic training students, athletic training education department and the athletic training profession.

  

Jeff Hinshaw currently serves in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine as the lead Physician Assistant and faculty member for emergency medicine.  He has worked as an advocate for the athletic training profession and helped develop the collaborative working relationship between EMS and athletic trainers.

 

2019

Tara Peterson, Clinical Education Coordinator at Western Carolina University for her inspiring work with athletic training students and the athletic training education department.

 

Dr. Lyman Smith, Raleigh Orthopaedic, for his 29 years of dedicated work as a team physician not only in the office but also on the sidelines helping thousands of athletes at the high school, college and professional level. 

 

 

Kannapolis Fire Department for their commitment to inter-professional learning by teaching a class to assist ATs in getting EMT certification and coordinating the training of 100 firefighters on how to better handle sporting injuries and AT interactions on the scene. Pictured below.

 

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