NYS Athletic Trainers’ Association Applauds Athletic Training Week Participants and Recognizes ‘The 11-Day Power Play’ Volunteers
BUFFALO, N.Y. (PRWEB) October 24, 2017 -- Athletic Training (AT) Recognition Week was initiated in 2013 to promote awareness about sports safety and appropriate medical care at all levels of athletic participation. By recognizing certified athletic trainers (ATs) and the unique skill-set they possess to effectively fulfill this role, schools and organizations can to show their communities and peers that they value and take pride in providing quality sports health care for their athletes, and set an example for local youth sports to follow. From Friday, September 15-24, 2017 a number of schools and organizations publicly recognized their athletic trainers, posted to social media - #WhosYourAT2017 – and held various other awareness campaigns. Over the past five years, nearly 100 schools and organizations have gotten involved in promoting Athletic Training Recognition Week in the name of sports safety.
While the inherent risk of injury in athletics has always been understood, research and statistics from the past few decades has revealed the critical need of taking appropriate measures for sports safety – including providing qualified medical and healthcare management, such as a certified athletic trainer (AT). With their education and experience in injury prevention, recognition, and emergency management, ATs can help identify potential hazards and risks to address before they cause injury, as well as observe and evaluate injuries as they occur, knowing how to properly distinguish more severe conditions and handle these situations when they arise.
NYSATA is also very proud of the willingness of athletic trainers to volunteer their abilities and time, especially for a charitable cause. From June 22 to July 3, 2017, The 11 Day Power Play in Buffalo, NY held a continuous eleven day hockey game to raise funds for cancer research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. With only 40 players involved in the 250 hours of hockey, appropriate health care was a necessity to keep the participants on the ice and ready to play. Six athletic trainers (ATs) rotated in shifts through the course of the event, supported by six additional ATs and 4 physical and occupational therapists working alongside at least four physicians. The event set a new world record for the longest hockey game, but most importantly raised over 1.2 million dollars.
Just as in any setting, these athletic trainers had to deal with a range of sport-related injuries and illnesses that affected performance. Issues during the eleven-day event included extreme muscle soreness, dehydration, hypotension, emotional stress, strep throat, open wounds, a nasal fracture, olecranon bursitis (elbow), finger and hand friction burns, and various foot and ankle ailments - including pressure sores, blisters, bunions, hammer toes, sprains and contusions from errant shots.
Appreciation goes out to these athletic trainers and the whole sports medicine team: Bob O’Malley, MEd, ATC, OTC, CES; Jess Raniero,MS, ATC; Brian Healy, ATC; Mike Maisano, ATC; Kip Palmateer, ATC; and Nolan Hartzell, ATC; Chris Stawitz, ATC; Josie Fisher, PT, ATC; Netty King, PT, ATC; Jackie Fritz, ATC; Braeleen Carney, MS, ATC; Keith Feind, ATC; Nikole Scott, OT, CHT; Jason Boucher, OT; Matt Galbo, DPT; Joanne Studer, PT; Dr. Andrew Stoeckl; Dr. Jason Matuszak; Dr. James Slough; and Dr. Dave Pula. Also, a special thank you to those who donated their facilities and equipment.
NYSATA, founded in 1976 and incorporated in 1989, stands to advance, encourage and improve the profession of athletic training (AT) by developing the common interests of its membership for the purpose of enhancing the quality of healthcare for the physically active in NYS. Athletic training is practiced by certified athletic trainers (ATs), who have expertise in the assessment, emergency management, rehabilitation and prevention of acute and chronic sport-related injuries, illnesses and conditions, including concussions. Comprised of over 1,200 certified and practicing athletic trainers, NYSATA is the state-wide affiliate of the regional Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) and District Two of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).
Aimee Brunelle, New York State Athletic Trainers' Association, http://www.gonysata2.org, +1 716-338-1266, [email protected]
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