What's going on in Texas?

This Spring has been an active one for the Texas State Athletic Trainers Association. Dennis Hart, 

Spanky Stephens, and David Anderson (TSATA lobbyist) traveled to Austin to discuss the future of the Sports Medicine Course with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Two major options for teaching any of the three Sports Medicine courses were clarified in their meeting: 1) The Licensed Athletic Trainer (LAT) must hold a valid teaching certificate OR 2) The LAT must hold a School District Teacher Permit issued by the school district. The TSATA recommends all certified instructors of the TSATA Sports Medicine I, II, and III courses who DO NOT CURRENTLY HOLD a valid teaching certificate initiate the process to obtain the District Teaching Permit. The application is available on the TEA Website. For any other information or questions, please contact either Dennis Hart or Spanky Stephens.

The TSATA is also continuing work on their relationships with the Office of Acquired Brain Injuries and UT Southwestern Medical School’s New Traumatic Brain Institute and Healing Center. A major goal of this relationship is the development of a concussion website that will serve as the major source of concussion information for parents, athletes, and health care providers in Texas and across the country. Bucky Taylor is heading up this project and is working hard to put together a quality website.

As the Advisory Board of Athletic Trainers prepares to go under Sunset Review in the next legislative session, David Anderson and TSATA President Scott Galloway have been in contact with David Weir and Becky Spurlock from the Advisory Board. They are working together to protect our license and our interests with the Department of Health and Human Services and the state of Texas. The legislature continues to be reminded of who athletic trainers are in Texas, whom we serve, and our presence through the TSATA.

This year, the TSATA and the Secondary Schools Committee honored 156 All-State Student Athletic Trainers for 2013-2014. Congratulations to them and to the athletic trainers who work to mentor and teach them on a daily basis. 

This summer holds the opportunity for many of you to seek CEUs and professional development at national, district, or local meetings. A TSATA board representative should be available at each meeting to answer questions, discuss membership, and address concerns. Please stop by our booth at SPATS, Prude Ranch, or SWATA and let us know how we are doing to represent the greatest athletic trainers in the nation!

Written by:

Darrell 'Red' Ganus

TSATA Region 5 Director and Vice Chair