The Athletic Training profession has a nearly 75-year legacy that many may not be familiar with. The National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) was formally founded in 1950, and has continued to evolve over the years as Athletic Trainers across the world impact the healthcare setting by providing quality care to diverse active populations. 

I found my way into Athletic Training after a personal injury as a high school athlete led to my first interaction with a professional in the field. I have always enjoyed sports, helping others, and have had an interest in healthcare. Now, my career as an Athletic Trainer allows me to pursue my passions both personally and professionally. 

I have been an Athletic Trainer since 2007 and have seen the profession evolve first hand with a focus on enhancing provided patient care. Academically, there has been a shift from requiring a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree, which provides students and soon-to-be professionals additional expertise and knowledge. Professionally, Athletic Training continues expanding our primary domains of care.

It is an exciting time to celebrate both National Athletic Training Month and National Women’s History Month. NATA is made up of almost 45,000 professionals with 55% of them being women, a 54% increase from about 20 years after its inception. We continue to see impressive women impacting what was previously seen as a male-dominated field. Women are now in the NATA Hall of Fame, serve as mentors and continue to find themselves in leadership positions within the field. 

Through every level of my career, it has been important that I find time to engage with and implement hands-on skills. Even though I serve in a leadership role, I still love patient care and believe it is important that quality care is at the forefront of all Athletic Training programs. 

Currently, my role is more administrative for both the athletics and academics side of Athletic Training here at Cumberland. As I have grown in my career, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be heavily involved in a program that means so much to me personally. 

Academically, I enjoy teaching and recruiting students for the Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) to produce the next generation of Athletic Trainers.

Athletically, I enjoy enhancing our facilities, policies, and procedures to provide the best quality of patient care to CU student athletes. 

If you would like to learn more about Athletic Training and our MSAT program, please visit our website https://www.cumberland.edu/master-of-science-in-athletic-training/ or contact me directly at karnold@cumberland.edu.