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Monday, January 20, 2014

NATA Capitol Hill Day...and other opportunities


The NATA “Capitol Hill Day” will be held on Tuesday, March11, 2014 in Washington D.C.  The 5th National Youth Sports Safety Summit Governmental Affairs Committee will meet in conjunction with this event.  This is a great opportunity for members to gain experience in the efforts made in the legislative affairs area on behalf of the Athletic Training Profession.  

If you plan to attend this event you must register on the NATA website by February 6, so plans can be made for those athletic trainers who will attend.  Members in attendance will be scheduled to meet with their Congressmen and Senators who represents them. These meetings are organized in small groups pairing new attendees with members who have attended in previous years from each state and legislative district.

Last year during the NATA “Capitol Hill Day”, House Resolution 72 was rolled-out to Congress in support of the Youth Sports Safety Summit sponsored by the NATA.  This bill is an advocacy bill for the Secondary School Student Athletes’ Bill of Rights.  This document was developed in collaboration with the members of the Youth Sports Safety Alliance, which has more than 100 member health-care organizations and advocacy groups’, to support sports safety issues.  The second initiative, supported by the NATA, is introducing the Promoting Health as Youth Skills in Classrooms and Life (PHYSICAL) Act by Senator Udall of New Mexico. This bill adds physical education and health education back to the required core curriculum in secondary schools.  There is also a proposal presented in the meetings by the NATA members for Congress to support language to create a national data base of youth athlete’s fatalities by the Center for Disease Control.

These initiatives make for very positive meetings with each athletic trainer’s members of congress and their staffs bringing attention to the need of athletic trainer services being made available for all secondary school sports students. I would encourage all athletic trainers to consider this opportunity to experience the importance advocacy of our profession at the federal and state level.


So you can't make it to Washington D.C.?


Go to the NATA’s Federal Governmental Affairs webpage. From here you can:
  • Learn about how Health Care Reform affects athletic trainers
  • Become a Grasstop!
  • Discover and get involved with the NATA Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation project


  • Find your official
  • Check key bills that the NATA is tracking
  • Join the mailing list and receive an alert when your involvement can make a critical difference
  • MegaVote! Get your representative’s votes by email weekly
  • Tell-A-Friend! Send a note directly from the website to a friend to let them know about this site!
  • Install Web Widget! Put the "Write to Congress" web sticker on YOUR web site!
Have you ever wanted to obtain a government Proclamation for your workplace?  Log into the SWATA members only website and download the SWATA PR Idea Book.  Pages 32-34 of the SWATA PR Idea Book provides step-by-step directions on how to obtain a local and state government Proclamation! The SWATA PR Idea book has a gold mine of examples and instructions on how to be involved in promoting the profession.  

Also, don't forget the National Athletic Training Month is in March!  Check back at the SWATA Blog for more information!


This blog entry was provided by:
Dennis Hart and Jamie Woodall
Dennis Hart works as a Clinical Services Director/Athletic Trainer at Sports Medicine Clinic of North Texas and serves on the NATA Governmental Affairs Committee.  Jamie Woodall works as an athletic trainer at Rudder High School; Bryan ISD and serves on the NATA Public Relations Committee

Monday, January 6, 2014

SWATA Blog - Ready for Full Activity!

Happy New Year, SWATA Members!

Many of you remember the SWATA Blog from a few years ago, that was often neglected due to our busy athletic training schedules.  Since we need many avenues of communication to reach all our members, the SWATA Blog has been 'treated and rehabed' and we are ready to 'release it back to full activity'!  The purpose of the 'rehabed' SWATA Blog is to provide a communication forum for athletic trainers employed in all settings and for stakeholders who have an interest in the athletic training profession.  The SWATA Executive Board and Committee Chairs will participate by blogging SWATA information that affects athletic trainers in Texas and Arkansas. We invite discussion in the comments area, so if you have questions please ask – your questions could become a future blog topic!  Also, remember to 'follow' the blog.  

What’s new for SWATA in 2014?  SWATA will be celebrating the 60th  anniversary of SWATA during the annual meeting (July 17-19) at the Frisco Embassy Suites. The anniversary party will be on Thursday evening following the CEU sessions. Come enjoy the fun and fellowship with your athletic training friends.  There will be more information about the 60th celebration in future blog entries.  

Since we are getting ready to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the SWATA Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposium, I thought that I would share a jewel from 20 years ago!  Enjoy!!!


Also, National Athletic Training Month (March) is rapidly approaching!  SWATA will be announcing the annual National Athletic Training Month Contest in which you could win a free registration to SWATA 2014!  Check the website as information will be posted soon about how to participate.  The member's only side of swata.org provides a calendar of upcoming events that will have the deadline information for the contest as well as many other upcoming events.  Check it out!

Finally, as many of you know, NATA recently unveiled a new logo.  Likewise, SWATA received a logo makeover as well!  The new logo appears at the top of the blog and will begin replacing the old logo.  

I look forward to seeing everyone in July but until then, have a great new year!



Mitzi Laughlin
SWATA President



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