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| What is an Athletic Trainer? |
Chris Phillips is a certified Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Specialist with over fifteen years of
experience in professional sports, including eight years in the NHL. Chris is currently the Head Athletic Trainer and
Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League and also owns and
operates Compete Performance, an Athletic Performance company. He can be reached at
chris@competeperformance.com or via his website www.competeperformance.com.
experience in professional sports, including eight years in the NHL. Chris is currently the Head Athletic Trainer and
Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League and also owns and
operates Compete Performance, an Athletic Performance company. He can be reached at
chris@competeperformance.com or via his website www.competeperformance.com.
The profession of athletic training was born nearly a century ago. It grew up in collegiate and professional
sports, and today athletic trainers can be found working everywhere people are active.
What is an Athletic Trainer?
A unique health care provider, the certified athletic trainer specializes in the prevention, assessment and
rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. Athletic trainers possess a broad base of knowledge that enables them to
respond in a medical emergency, rehabilitate injuries and help people recover – and sometimes improve – their
performance capabilities.
NATA
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association, founded in 1949, represents athletic trainers, and an overwhelming
majority of people who hold the athletic training credential belong to the NATA.
Board of Certification (BOC)
The Board of Certification, Inc., awards the athletic training credential, called “ATC.” As a separate entity, the BOC
oversees all aspects of credentialing, including:
The certification exam;
Requirements for continuing education for athletic training practitioners;
Role Delineation studies for the profession of athletic training
Click here for more information about the Board of Certification
Education Council
Athletic training education has undergone a transformation in the last decade, with greater emphasis placed on
how we prepare students to become the health care providers of tomorrow.
Today, all persons who want to become certified athletic trainers must obtain a degree from an accredited athletic
training education program. They study and master human anatomy, physiology, nutrition, pharmacology, health
administration and a host of other related topics. In fact, most athletic trainers hold a master’s degree.
The NATA Education Council oversees education initiatives, including entry-level, continuing and post-professional
education.
