What Has the NATA Done?

This question was asked on Twitter this week. And it’s not the first time. I’m sure it won’t be the last time. But this is a question that irritates me. What has the professional organization done for an individual lately?

Well let’s see what recent history shows the NATA having gotten done:

• Partnered with the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society and the National Football League to provide grants in order to put Athletic Trainers into high schools.
• Encouraged Athletic Trainers to obtain their National Provider Identification (NPI) number.
• Continues to guide the Youth Sports Safety Alliance
• Partnered with the Korey Stringer Institute to investigate the employment and availability of athletic trainers in every high school in the USA.
• Got “Athletic Trainer” included in the AP Stylebook.
• Collaborated with Gatorade to bring back the Secondary School Athletic Trainer of the Year Awards
• Involved in Alaska becoming the 49^th state to regulate Athletic Training
• The Journal of Athletic Training will become a monthly publication in 2015. That means more research will be coming out!
• The NATA released a position statement on “Management of Sport Concussion” in March 2014.
• NATA released Exertional Heat Illness position statement in summer 2014.
• Encourages schools to become “Safe Sports Schools” to recognize the Athletic Training Departments of high schools across the nation!

Maybe the question isn’t “What has the NATA done?” Probably a better question, because let’s remember the NATA is a member organization, is what has the member done for the NATA and the profession lately?