Research Awards/Lecture Exchange Program – The Medal for
Distinguished Athletic Training Research will not be
presented in 2009. J. Troy Blackburn, PhD, ATC, has been
selected as recipient of the 2009 New Investigator Award,
presented in honor of Freddie H. Fu, MD. The recipient of
the Doctoral Dissertation Award, presented in honor of David
H. Perrin, PhD, ATC, will be Patrick O. McKeon, PhD, ATC,
CSCS. These distinguished researchers will receive their
awards and present lectures at the NATA Annual Meeting in
San Antonio. Agreements remain in place for continuing a
lecture exchange program with ACSM, AMSSM and AOSSM.
Representatives of these associations will present their
research findings during the NATA Annual Meeting and
Clinical Symposia. Such relationships foster and strengthen
the mutually supportive role that NATA and these
organizations presently enjoy.
Funded Research Presentations
– Another large group of applications for research grants
has been received this year. Eleven of the Foundation’s
grant recipients are scheduled to present their research
findings at the 2009 NATA Annual Meeting. These
developments clearly indicate an increasing interest and
participation in meaningful research relative to the
athletic training profession. The Foundation board
authorized the inclusion of overhead costs (up to 15%) in
grant application budgets, beginning in 2005. This expanded
appeal has encouraged even more applicants. The
Foundation has awarded a total of almost $3 Million in
research grants. This is a significant accomplishment
in the relatively short period of existence of the
Foundation.
Research Results
– Eighty-one Grant
Information Summaries are now available. Each GIS provides
summarized results of a research project the Foundation has
funded. The plan is to continue our efforts to print several
new summaries prior to each NATA Annual Meeting. We have 7
new summaries this year, which will be distributed from the
Foundation booth and at all Free Communications sessions.
All completed summaries are free to the membership upon
request, and are included in materials distributed at all
NATA District Meetings. They are also available on the
Foundation web site at no cost. We feel this program
provides a more widespread understanding among NATA members
regarding the importance of funded research to the athletic
training profession and its continued viability.
Free Communications Program
– The Foundation received 343 abstracts for 2009. Once
again, this is another indication of continued widespread
interest and participation in research within the
profession, in spite of the $25.00 submission fee.
Recognition of outstanding student presentations is
accomplished through oral presentations as well as poster
presentations. Presenters are judged in their peer groups
as doctoral, master’s or undergraduate students. The
judging will be completed and the 2009 awards will be
presented on Thursday afternoon (June 19) during the
Distinguished Scholar Presentations Session. All of you are
cordially invited to attend the session, and join in
congratulating these developing leaders of scientific
investigation in support of future athletic training
professionals.
Scholarships
– This program continues to be a terrific success.
Sixty-nine (69) $2,300 scholarships will be presented to
recipients at the NATA Annual Meeting in San Antonio. Over
40 different organizations are involved in providing the
financial support to fund these awards. The Foundation
Scholarship Committee has done an outstanding job in
developing and maintaining these long-term relationships.
The Foundation is proud to announce that
1,120 scholarships totaling
more than $2 Million have been awarded to date.
Scholarship Endowment Funds
– New partial and full endowment options have been offered
to all of our sponsors beginning in 2009. We were extremely
encouraged that numerous entities have made a commitment to
endow their scholarship sponsorships. The earnings from
these funds will enable us to fund these scholarship awards
in perpetuity. This is certainly a source of pride for our
board and committee members. It has also fostered a
continuing energetic effort to endow as many Foundation
programs and activities as possible.
Annual Fund
–The 2008 Building Our Foundation Annual Fund campaign
generated over $170,000 in gifts from NATA members and state
and district organizations. We are extremely grateful for
the support provided for instituting dedicated dues to
benefit the Foundation. Six of ten NATA districts have now
formally provided for automatic partial distribution of dues
income directly to the Foundation. These actions clearly
demonstrate widespread support of the Foundation and its
programs. Most significant is the fact that individual
member support of the Foundation has now grown to about
75%! A primary emphasis will be to continue to educate the
membership regarding the benefits of their Foundation
individually, and to the athletic training profession in
general. We project that continued energetic involvement by
our state and district representatives will increase member
giving each year.
Sponsorships –
Sponsorship of Foundation
programs is an important aspect of our overall annual
campaign. The Foundation’s efforts in this area are
assisted by terrific support from the NATA Marketing &
Membership Department. We feel that our coordinated effort
to offer opportunities and associated benefits to potential
sponsors is a very effective approach. Foundation
leadership is especially appreciative of this very
productive team approach.
Foundation Golf Classic
– The NATA Foundation board opted to not present a golf
outing in San Antonio. However, District Six, the host
district, has planned a golf outing for attending NATA
members. Proceeds will benefit the Foundation.
Participants will enjoy an array of prizes and raffle
items, as well as delicious food and drink. The Foundation
leadership is grateful for this effort, and is encouraged by
the indication that the host district golf outing concept
will likely continue at future NATA Annual Meetings.
NATA
Night with the San Antonio Missions
– As you know, professional
baseball has always been an attractive event for NATA
members. The Midland Rockhounds will visit Wolff Stadium to
take on the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday, June 17.
This event will hopefully build upon the theme of excitement
prevalent at all NATA Annual Meetings. It promises to be a
most enjoyable evening for NATA members and guests while
cheering on the local minor league franchise. We look
forward to seeing you there.
NATA
Foundation Fun Run
– An annually increasing
number of participants sign up for this popular activity.
Representatives of local running groups are joining NATA
members in this year’s event in Brackenridge Park at 7:00 AM
on Friday, June 19 - only a few miles from downtown San
Antonio. Efforts are under way to continue to enhance the
event’s popularity and increase member participation.
New Initiatives Task Force –
This group continues to
examine every current Foundation program and activity, as
well as the “untapped universe” of new and different
approaches. The intent is to determine which existing
activities should be maintained, curtailed, or expanded, as
well as identifying new ones to add. The next challenge, of
course, is to insure necessary resources are in place to
make that happen.
Committee
for Future Financial Growth –
This is a natural follow-on
to the New Initiatives Task Force. The Foundation has
determined that it will be necessary to solicit and secure
significant endowment funds to
address the ever-increasing need for financial support to
expand current programs and activities as well as add new
ones. We have made a significant commitment that process.
A fundraising consultant was formally commissioned to
develop and conduct a Philanthropic Planning Study to
determine the efficacy of a significant endowment campaign.
Extensive interviews were conducted and analyzed, and the
study has been completed. Foundation leadership established
an infrastructure of volunteers needed to formally conduct a
capital campaign.
Capital Campaign
– The Foundation leadership
has devoted a great deal of time and resources to developing
a significant fundraising process to provide for the future
fiscal viability of the organization. A Capital Campaign
Manager was hired and is now nearing completion of the
charge to conduct a successful $2 Million campaign. You
have been called upon to assist with your gifts. The NATA
Foundation is most grateful for the continuing support so
strongly demonstrated by each member of the NATA Board of
Directors. We are proud to be a part of the collective
effort to insure that the future of the athletic training
profession is long and productive.
Web Site
– As you know, NATA recently completed a major overhaul of
its web site. The Foundation web site undergoes continuous
review, in an effort to make certain that the information
included there is timely, informative and complete. We are
currently planning to redesign the entire website, with a
design similar to that of NATA. The URL is
www.natafoundation.org
. Please take a look at your
convenience. We will appreciate your feedback and
constructive comments.
Outcomes Research
– The Foundation sincerely appreciates the financial support
provided by NATA in presenting an important summit titled
“Advancing Outcomes of Care in
Athletic Training: A Road Map for the Future.”
This high-profile conference
took place in Dallas, and was attended by approximately 40
high-profile researchers from across the country. The
purpose of the summit was to serve as a catalyst for
conducting athletic training outcomes research in a
systematic and directed manner. It was thoroughly
successful, and served as the “program announcement” for the
$1 Million pledged by NATA, over a three year period, to
fund athletic training outcomes research. This is
yet another example of professional teamwork, and sends a
strong, positive message to our constituents. To date, a
little more than 1/3 of that fund has been committed to
quality research. Several other viable projects are also
being considered for funding.
Financial Support –
The Foundation leadership, as
well as the thousands of Foundation program supporters and
participants, remains most grateful for the support
demonstrated in so many ways by the NATA Board of
Directors. We are pleased to return the favor through our
own funding commitments in support of NATA activities. We
look forward to future opportunities for progress through
our joint efforts.
Fellows Program
– The NATA and Foundation Boards of Directors formally
approved the Fellows Program in 2007. The second class of
NATA Fellows will be formally inducted during the annual
meeting in San Antonio. This is yet another example of our
joint efforts. The program offers a new form of recognition
for NATA members, and will encourage their continued service
to NATA and the NATA Foundation. An increasing pool of
highly qualified members who can be called upon for special
leadership roles, as required from time to time by the NATA
and the NATA Foundation, will be created. We have
appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the process to
develop this important aspect of what NATA offers to its
members.
Strategic Planning
– The Foundation recognizes the importance of effective
planning. We have followed the fine example of the NATA BOD
and are continuing to develop and carry out strategic plans
for a number of different aspects of our overall mission.
The Foundation board recently completed a formal realignment
of its goals, and has changed its governance structure to
better respond to today’s challenges. We are fortunate to
have board members in leadership roles who believe in this
process, and who have made significant personal commitments
to the success of these plans. The future remains bright.
