Hit the Hill

First, I know why I love living in Texas; Washington DC was cold. However, it was eventful and well worth the cold nose. I was fortunate this year that Hit the Hill was held in conjunction with the Athletic Training Educator's Conference so I had two good excuses to miss work.

I will admit that I was a little nervous about Monday and the unexpected. On Sunday, we were briefed thoroughly by our lobbying firm, Drinker, Biddle and Reath and on Monday, nine buses pulled away from the Gaylord and headed to the steps of the Capitol (well, as close to the steps as you can get now). Texas was represented by approximately 32 athletic trainers from all settings (look for that picture soon!) We spent the day in the offices of our representatives and our senators asking for their support of the Athletic Trainers' Equal Access to Medicare (ATEAM) bill and asking if they would make a Congressional Record Statement in support of the role that athletic trainers play. We also asked the House of Representatives to join the Congressional Fitness Caucus that boosts the understanding of the role that physical activity has on a healthy lifestyle.

While we never got a solid "YES" from any of the assistants that we spoke to, the people that my group met seemed positive about the outlook and they definitely learned about athletic training. Going into the day, I was really unsure about how it would all go but I am excited that I was able to take part in such an amazing day. I think that all of our voices need to be heard. Over the course of the next few weeks there will be lots of talk about the new bill. Take a few minutes and send an email to your representatives and senators asking for their support.

More information can be found at http://capwiz.com/nata/home/

Days go by...

Can you believe it is already FEBRUARY 11th? 42 days down, only 323 to go! It feels like only yesterday we were ringing in the new year, and NOW we are in the throes of our spring seasons making a push towards spring break.

Ahhh, SPRING BREAK! Just happens to fall in March, which is also NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINING MONTH. This time, NATA’s tagline is the theme: “Health Care for Life & Sport.” It emphasizes the medical component of the athletic training profession, while recognizing the array of athletic training work settings.


Some tips from NATA to remember when promoting our beloved profession:

Always refer to yourself as a “certified athletic trainer” or “athletic trainer.” State this clearly when talking with others. Never use the term “trainer.” In doing so, you are not distinguishing yourself and your peers from personal trainers.

Reinforce that athletic trainers are health care professionals who work in a variety of
settings and with all kinds of people — not just athletes.

Have you started thinking about what you can do to promote athletic training in March?

There are some awesome tools on the NATA website (members only) for you to use when putting together your ideas including:
Logos
Athletic Training e-Card
NATA Brochures/Videos/Books
Athletic Trainers -- Not "Trainers" Fact Sheet
Sample Media Alert
Sample News Release
Sample Proclamation
Sample Public Service Announcements

The SWATA Young Professionals Committee is working on a project to promote professionalism among athletic trainers in March, and you can win PRIZES, so be on the look out for more details about that in the coming weeks!

DON'T FORGET!!! NATA Hit the Hill Day is February 23, 2009. While we may not all be able to attend, there are still ways to get involved, and support legislation that effects athletic trainers. Check out the NATA Governmental Affairs and Legislative Alert Center, and be on the lookout for information from the NATA Young Professionals Committee on an upcoming effort.

Making Summer Plans?

To most of us, the mention of summer plans makes us start daydreaming of sandy beaches without a cell phone and zero athletes or even the simplest leisure of hibernating in our own homes without a cell phone and zero athletes. But whatever your ideal summer might consist of, we all need to carve out a time for the NATA convention here in our home region.

You may have been contacted by the NATA to serve as a volunteer in the hosting and preparation of the convention in San Antonio. We encourage you to sign up for this opportunity. By giving as little as 10 hours, you can receive a discount on your registration fees. Feeling a little strapped in today's economy? You can volunteer 40 hours and get the entire registration fee reimbursed.

After the volunteer list is complete, there will be a follow-up email that will allow you to sign up for particular times and days that work well for you. When this sign up sheet is made available we, as the YPC, will designate a time for us to get together to volunteer as a group. It will be a great chance to work together and socialize. As athletic trainers, we are champions of multitasking! And I'm sure for all of our hard work, we can reward ourselves with additional socializing on the River Walk. :)

So be on the lookout for both of these. If you need help, don't hesitate to contact anyone of us to get you connected with those who can help you get involved.