Chapter 7
Athletic Training
Introduction
Chapter 7 begins by giving a brief overview of the field of athletic training. The chapter discusses the role of an athletic trainer and gives a general job description; then the majority of the rest of the chapter describes the history of NATA and BOC certification, as well as CAATE accreditation procedures. Steps for obtaining BOC certification are listed as well as an overview of the continuing education process. The chapter concludes with a look at future employment possibilities in athletic training.
Chapter Objectives
After studying this chapter, students will be able to do the following:
- Briefly describe the history of NATA.
- Describe the process involved in becoming BOC certified.
- List the most common employment settings for an athletic trainer.
- Discuss potential changes in employment setting and job description for an athletic trainer in the future.
Study Questions
- List the five domains that the 2012 BOC role delineation study determined may be part of an athletic trainer’s scope of practice.
- Define athletic training.
- Describe the requirements that must be met in order to take the BOC certification exam today.
- Explain the continuing education program for maintaining BOC certification.
- List and describe the four continuing education categories as set forth by the BOC.
- Discuss the future employment possibilities in athletic training.
- List the types of athletic training positions that are possible in the public school system.
- State the mission of the NATA in your own words.
- Describe the types of courses you would need to take in order to become an athletic trainer.
- Describe the process a school must go through to be CAATE accredited.
- What does “competency-based education” mean in relation to CAATE program standards and guidelines?
Student Activities
- Have students spend an afternoon with an athletic trainer and then write a brief reflection paper describing a “Day in the Life of an Athletic Trainer.”
- Have those students who are interested in pursuing a career in athletic training contact the BOC, http://www.bocatc.org, for additional certification information.
- Have students make a list of the things they can do to make themselves more marketable in the field of athletic training.
Lab
Athletic Taping
Quizzes
Suggested Readings
- Prentice, W. E. (2013). Principles of athletic training (15th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Pfeiffer, R. P., Mangus, B. C., Trowbridge, C.A. (2015). Concepts of athletic training (7th ed.). Boston: Jones & Bartlett.
Links
The National Training Association
The National Athletic Training Association Board of Certification