Athletic Training Department

News & Events

ISU graduate tapped to head College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services
March 31, 2008

Richard “Biff” Williams has been selected to head the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services at Indiana State University.

“Biff Williams has extensive experience in teaching and research and a strong background in working with the community in innovative and entrepreneurial ways. These are skills that are needed to foster greater attention to the health professions, attract resources, and create an environment that promotes student success and supports the work of faculty,” C. Jack Maynard, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said in announcing Williams’ appointment.

Currently associate dean of the College of Education at the University of Northern Iowa, Williams holds a master’s degree from Indiana State.

A faculty member at Northern Iowa since 1998, Williams also served as executive associate director of the School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services, chair of the Division of Athletic Training and program director.

Williams has experience in development and fund raising, strategic planning, assessment, accreditation, program review, technology, curriculum, facility operations, building development and renovation, and marketing. He is part of a private-public partnership of a hospital, clinic, and university that resulted in the construction of a two-story human performance center, funded by $2.5 million from the medical community, $1.8 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and $2.3 million from donors.

“I am excited to be returning to Indiana State University and the Terre Haute community. I have always wanted to work at Indiana State and look forward to having the privilege to give something back to the university and faculty that gave me an excellent education,” Williams said.

“I am looking forward to all of the exciting opportunities to work with the excellent faculty, staff and students, as well as the university and local communities. They have a great vision of addressing state, national and international issues related to nursing, health, and human services. It is going to be a privilege to work together in reaching common goals,” he added.

Williams’ appointment drew praise from ISU College of Education Dean Brad Balch, who chaired the search for the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services position.

“Dr. Williams' campus visit yielded consistently strong feedback from internal and external communities. His breadth of successful leadership experiences in higher education aligns well with the founding dean's position and will ensure a path of pre-eminence is continued in the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services,” Balch said.

Williams’ leadership at Northern Iowa includes developing athletic training from a minor with eight students to baccalaureate and master’s degrees as well as a doctoral intensive study area in Rehabilitation Studies that serves more than 100 students.

Williams has received two awards from ISU: the Outstanding Young Professional award from the Athletic Training Department in 2004 and the Young Professional Alumni Award from the College of Health and Human Performance in 2003. At the University of Northern Iowa he received the Excellence in Leadership Award and Excellence in Service Award.

Williams will assume his new duties July 7. He succeeds Esther Acree and Doug Timmons, who have been serving as interim co-deans since the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services was formed last year, combining the former Colleges of Nursing and Health and Human Performance to better serve the needs of health-related professions. Timmons will retire and Acree will return to her full-time faculty position.

A former high school teacher and head athletic trainer, Williams holds a bachelor’s degree from Weber State University in Utah, an M.S. in athletic training from ISU, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University.

Athletic training students win regional award for work with community health fair
February 22, 2008

Demonstrating correct posture when sitting at a desk, how to walk properly with crutches and giving tips for infectious wound care were just a few of the ways Andrea Clifford and her fellow athletic training classmates at Indiana State University were able to help others at the 2007 Terre Haute Community Health Fair.

In recognition of their efforts, the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association, or GLATA, is honoring the spring 2007 Administration of Athletic Health Care Delivery Systems class, taught by Catherine Stemmans, associate professor of athletic training, with a 2007 Public Relations Award.

Clifford of Hillsdale, who graduated in May 2007 and is now an athletic trainer at Monrovia High School and an independent research coordinator, will receive the award on behalf of her class at the GLATA 40th anniversary awards dinner on March 7.

For the service-learning component of their class, Clifford and the students designed three stations that would help the public in practical ways, while also informing them about the profession of athletic training. At the stations, the students displayed informational posters; assessed posture; checked for leg-length discrepancies; and educated the community on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA prevention.

While the students were able to help community members from all walks of life, one person stood out in particular to Clifford.

“There was a 13-year-old girl who had just been diagnosed with scoliosis. This extremely active girl and her mother were worried about what this meant for the girls’ physical capabilities in the future,” Clifford said. “Although her physician told her she was able to play sports, she and her mother were able to ask us more detailed questions about special warm-ups, what her chances for injury were and how she could prevent injuries.”

After assessing her, Clifford was able to assuage her fears about competing in sports.

“We explained that it is not uncommon for athletes to have scoliosis, and that they are able to be very competitive in sports,” she said.

Kerry Waple, chairperson of GLATA’s public relations committee praised the students for their community service-learning effort.

“This was a well thought-out project that involved timely information on topics of particular relevance to the safety of athletes and the community at large,” Waple said. “Indiana State University’s athletic training program is a leader on this front.”

GLATA is District 4 of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, and includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The other students involved in the project were: Adrienne Pearson, Amanda Carroll, Hideyuki Okuwa, Jennifer Guillen, Joshua Vice, Kasumasa Takechi, Kelly Gilbreath, Morgan Goode, Renee Beck, Vicki Huber and Matt Rice.

ISU's athletic training graduates go on to the major leagues
February 6, 2008

Indiana State University has one of the longest-running and most prestigious athletic training programs in the country, and its students and alumni are well-known throughout the industry for their expertise and preparedness for the real world.

Recent undergraduate students have earned positions in competitive internships with organizations such as the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts and the Cleveland Browns in Ohio, Clarian Hospital and Methodist Sports Medicine in Indianapolis, and Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamos in Texas.

Recent bachelor’s degree graduates, after also earning their master’s degrees, have gone on to athletic training positions at the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and the Cincinnati Bengals, the National Basketball Association’s Development League for the San Antonio Spurs, the University of Florida, the University of New Orleans and New Hope Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine in central Indiana.

Graduates of the master’s program have gone on to positions with the U.S. Olympic Committee and training centers, the NFL’s San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings, the National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues, the NBA’s New York Knicks, Major League Baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies and the NCAA.

Not to be confused with a personal trainer, a certified athletic trainer is a medical professional who is an expert in injury prevention, assessment, treatment and physical rehabilitation, particularly in the orthopedic and musculoskeletal disciplines. They have a minimum education of a bachelor’s degree, with 70 percent having a master’s degree or higher.

There are more than 100 students enrolled in ISU’s undergraduate athletic training program, and they hail from throughout the United States and the world.

The faculty and staff have research published in scholarly journals on a regular basis, and are highly respected by their colleagues in their areas of expertise.

Catherine Stemmans, athletic training associate professor and director of the entry-level program, said all of these things are what brought her here as a professor after she earned her Ph.D. at the University of Southern Mississippi.

“I remember thinking during my job interview that the department represented a forward-thinking and comprehensive combination of athletic training research, education and athlete-patient care,” she said. “The students are very passionate about their learning experiences, expressed both in their community engagement and clinical assignments, and their ideas for research.”

Although ISU offered athletic training courses since 1962, it was in 1969 that ISU made history, along with three other universities, by being recognized as the first undergraduate athletic training education programs in the United States.

In 1972, ISU became one of the first two graduate athletic training programs in the country, and the first to admit women. Indiana State University’s athletic training program continues to enjoy a national reputation with a network of alumni throughout the world at professional sports organizations, universities and in health care settings.

Athletic training professor named to First Aid Science Advisory Board
October 2, 2007

Susan Walker Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training at Indiana State University, was recently appointed as the National Athletic Trainers’ Association delegate to the American Heart Association’s International First Aid Science Advisory Board.

Yeargin, an expert in such critical first aid issues such as heat stroke, hydration, hyponatremia and heat cramps, received her doctorate in exercise science from the University of Connecticut. Yeargin, whose most recent professional publication is titled, “Recovery and Return to Activity Following Exertional Heat Stroke,” also is an appointee to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Foundation Free Communication Board.

Yeargin joined the athletic training faculty at ISU this fall.

Athletic training alum Marjorie Albohm a pioneer in her field
February 6, 2008

Marjorie Albohm has never been afraid of running ahead of the pack.

One of the first women in the country to receive a master’s degree with specialization in athletic training, and newly elected as president of the 30,000-member National Athletic Training Association, she is as comfortable talking with her physician colleagues at The Orthopaedic Research Foundation as she is Bryant Gumbel on Real Sports.

An alumna of Indiana State University, Albohm is often called upon by the media to give expert commentary in the area of musculoskeletal issues as they relate to the physically active, especially those of the baby boom generation. Most recently, she appeared on ESPN with Gumbel to talk about how baby boomers can stay injury-free while exercising.

“Boomeritis” was the topic of her guest appearance on The Today Show in 2006, where she fielded questions from Ann Curry about sports-related injuries suffered by baby boomers, in front of a live audience and about 5 million viewers.

“Being behind the scenes of a show like that was pretty amazing,” Albohm said. “You’ve heard of the ‘green room’ where the special guests wait backstage, but really it’s like being in somebody’s closet. They have food there and people are hanging out. It’s very casual. When I was there, Dick Ebersole of NBC sports was in the room with me. You could be next to the biggest star in the world and everyone would be treated the same.”

Getting good information out over the airwaves about being active, no matter what your age, is thrilling for Albohm.

“Of all the interviews I’ve done, being on the Today show definitely had the hottest spark to it,” Albohm said. “My appearance was very short and quick, but it was a fabulous opportunity to be on that platform in front of the millions of people that watch it and talk about what I have a passion for.”

WHAT ABOUT THE WOMEN’S TEAMS?

Always physically active, Albohm played field hockey and basketball as an undergrad at Valparaiso University, where she has since been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

“I had an ankle sprain and the head men’s athletic trainer helped me. I asked him ‘Where are the athletic trainers for the women’s teams'’ He said there aren’t very many women in this profession. That sparked an interest for me,” Albohm said.

She looked into graduate athletic training programs, and in 1972, there were two in the nation. Only one accepted women -- Indiana State University.

“ISU was so progressive in their athletic training program, and some of those early faculty were so wonderful. Many prominent women in the field today got their experience there,” Albohm said.

Albohm’s pioneering spirit was a perfect match with the new program at ISU, and she graduated in 1973 in only the second class to do so with a master’s specialization in athletic training. Recognized as a trail-blazer in her field, Albohm was given the Outstanding Alumnus Award by Indiana State’s College of Health and Human Performance in 1996.

“When I arrived on campus, I wasn’t singled out as a ‘woman athletic trainer,’” Albohm said. “I was integrated into the group. It was a neat thing and speaks so well for the institution... and they have continued their reputation for excellence and equity.”

AT THE TOP OF HER GAME

There were no athletic training jobs for women when Albohm graduated from ISU in 1973, she said. She has seen the industry grow exponentially since then, and she has developed her own expertise right along with it.

For more than a decade, Albohm has immersed herself in the hands-on work of helping athletes of all kinds recover from injury #-- first at Indiana University in Bloomington where she headed up care for all the women’s sports teams; and then across the globe, at the Big Ten Basketball Championships, the Boston Marathon, the Pan-Am Games and even the Olympics.

Today, Albohm is the executive director of The Orthopaedic Research Foundation in Indianapolis, as well as the director of orthopaedic research and business development for Orthopaedics Indianapolis and The Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital.

The foundation, which is a private, non-profit organization, has more than 60 physicians, three outpatient surgery centers and its own specialty hospital.

“The respect I have for my colleagues in the field becomes broader every day as I direct research for our clinics and the hospital,” Albohm said.

While Albohm doesn’t do the hands-on work of an athletic trainer in her position, she does have a great deal of interaction with the clinicians employed at the practice.

“I am able to stay current from a sports medicine standpoint through working with orthopaedic surgeons every day,” she said. “I am able to learn the latest techniques, and we make it a point to constantly review new research.”

Albohm also stays up to date with the latest musculoskeletal issues through the NATA, of which she is the president-elect, to be sworn in at the annual meeting in June 2008.

“I have served on NATA’s Outcomes Research Task Force for the past 10 years, am currently its secretary/treasurer and served as vice president before that,” she said.

Being elected to president of the NATA was a humbling experience for her, Albohm said.

“It is the pinnacle of anyone’s career to be in that position,” she said. “I am honored and humbled. It also is a bit overwhelming when you represent more than 30,000 members. No longer am I just speaking as an athletic trainer or board member; every word I say represents all those professionals.”

But this should be no problem for Albohm, who is called upon by newspaper reporters and broadcast journalists throughout the country on a regular basis.

“After years of experience working with musculoskeletal issues of people of all ages, beginning with elite athletes, and now the everyday person, I’m privileged to be in a position where I have been able to offer some expertise to the media and general public on areas that are a passion for me,” she said.

Athletic training alumna helps save high school football player's life
December 10, 2007

It was a typical Friday night high school football game in early November for Angela Hockaday, as she stood on the sidelines with her athletic training gear, watching Lee’s Summit North High School’s last game of the season. The game changed when she saw one of the players go down and not get back up.

“One of our athletes looked dizzy, as if he had a head injury, and took three steps back and collapsed,” said Hockaday, who received her master’s degree in athletic training in 2001 from Indiana State University.

Hockaday and fellow trainer Steve Taylor rushed onto the field. The player was senior Jesse Wood, who earlier in the game scored a historic touchdown as the first member of his family ever to do so during a football game.

When they reached him, Taylor stabilized the head and neck and began trying to get Wood to focus on him.

“He was conscious at that point, but quickly began to regress,” Hockaday said. “Then he stopped breathing and became unconscious.”

While Taylor and one of physicians began two-man CPR, Hockaday ran to get the automated external defibrillator.

“I knew that early defibrillation was necessary to increase the chances of survival,” said Hockaday, who also is a CPR and AED instructor.

Wood eventually began to breathe again.

“They are unable to determine that exact cause of cardiac arrest at this point,” Hockaday said. “He recently had a permanent defibrillator surgically placed in his chest, and now Jesse is doing very well and he was able to attend our football banquet in mid-November.”

Hockaday has served as an athletic trainer at the high school in Lee’s Summit, Mo., for four years; and worked prior to that at Excel Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Clinic in Boonville, Mo., but she had never been in a life-threatening situation before.

“This was my first encounter with an incident like this, and I hope it is the last,” Hockaday said. “It is a nerve-racking experience, but it is important to stay calm so that everyone else will remain calm, and to rely on your training.”

Her training at ISU and on the job kicked in when it mattered most.

“ISU is a great school that is always preparing its students to be placed in situations such as these,” Hockaday said. “They build the knowledge and confidence for students to act in life-threatening and non-life threatening events.”

Hockaday says that parents, coaches and other athletes can help in these situations by also being ready.

“As a CPR and AED instructor, I encourage everyone to be prepared and certified, so that if and when a situation occurs such as this, you can be helpful in saving a life,” she said.

ABOUT ISU’S ATHLETIC TRAINING PROGRAM
One of the first four undergraduate athletic training programs in the country; and one of the first two graduate athletic training programs in the country, and the first to admit women, Indiana State University’s athletic training program enjoys a national reputation with a network of alumni throughout the world at professional sports organizations, universities and in health care settings.

Students take top honors at Indiana Athletic Trainers Quiz Bowl
December 6, 2007

Coming up with the term for a “collared Scotty dog fracture” would stump most people, but for a team of athletic training students from Indiana State University, "spondylolysis" rolls off the tongue with ease.

ISU students brought home top honors in the 2007 College Quiz Bowl competition at the recent Indiana Athletic Trainers Association annual meeting in Indianapolis.

In besting 27 teams from other Indiana colleges and universities, the three-member team of Kirsten Bondy of North Salem; Jacob Tucker of Lawrenceville, Ill.; and Ashley VanBuskirk of Terre Haute, was presented with the 2007 Golden Scissors Award and will be representing the state of Indiana at the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association Quiz Bowl competition in March 2008.

ISU also captured second place through the efforts of team members Adam Moore of Terre Haute, David Hassler of Terre Haute, and Hannah Smith of Hartford City.

A Ball State University team took third place.

The teams were coached by Michelle Landis, ISU associate athletic trainer.

“All of the students in the competition did a great job, but ours just shined that day,” Landis said. “The environments that we provide them prepare them academically and clinically, but the majority of the credit goes to the dedication of our students who work very hard and come out well-rounded professionals.”

During the two-day competition, students were asked questions from all domains of athletic training, including medical care, anatomy of the human body, legal issues in health care, and more.

Bondy said her team’s first-place win can be attributed to the knowledge she and her teammates have accumulated throughout four years of studying and practicing athletic training.

All undergraduate athletic training students at ISU are required to complete clinical rotations. In addition to this clinical experience, Bondy completed a paid summer internship position at Methodist Sports Medicine Center/The Orthopedic Specialists in Indianapolis.

“I was employed by one of the orthopedic knee surgeons as a clinical and research assistant, where I worked directly with patients and other allied health professionals in the clinic setting,” Bondy said. “Through opportunities like this, we take concepts from the classroom and apply them to clinical situations. Having this hands-on experience helped us during the quiz bowl competition.”

Bondy also presented research at the annual meeting. In her case study, “Bilateral Osteochondral Defects in a Collegiate Men’s Basketball Player,” she presented the history of an ISU athlete, how the injury occurred, how it was treated, and the outcome.

“The case study was well-received and I have submitted the abstract to our district for potential selection to be presented at the district meeting in March,” Bondy said.

Tucker also presented a research project on “Appropriate Athletic Medical Coverage in Indiana and Illinois Colleges and Universities.”

As a student leader with a strong academic record and active involvement in professional organizations, Bondy has earned the respect of her mentors. During the IATA annual meeting, Bondy received the organization’s Dr. Robert Behnke Undergraduate Scholarship and was awarded $1,000. In September, Bondy was named a recipient of the Linda Craig Memorial Scholarship from the Indiana Pacers organization.

ABOUT ISU’S ATHLETIC TRAINING PROGRAM
One of the first four undergraduate athletic training programs in the country; and one of the first two graduate athletic training programs in the country, and the first to admit women, Indiana State University’s athletic training program enjoys a national reputation with a network of alumni throughout the world at professional sports organizations, universities and in health care settings.

ABOUT ISU’S ATHLETIC TRAINING CLINICAL PROGRAM
The Athletic Training Clinical Program has been designated one of Indiana State’s Programs of Promise, which enabled it to gain additional funding through the Lilly Endowment's Initiative to Recruit and Retain Intellectual Capital for Indiana Higher Education Institutions in conjunction with ISU's "Fulfilling the Promise" strategic plan.

Experts join health and human services departments at ISU October 5, 2007 Several new faculty and staff members with expertise in the health and human services areas have joined Indiana State University this fall. Joining the physical education department are assistant professors Susan Hagood and Rebecca Zakrajsek. Hagood, formerly of Florida State University, is teaching courses in curriculum and instruction, serving as an undergraduate adviser, supervising student teachers, and training clinical teachers for the student teaching program. Zakrajsek, formerly of West Virginia University, is teaching courses in coaching education, sport psychology and sport sociology. Joining the athletic training department are assistant professor Susan Yeargin, rehabilitation coordinator Sheri Walters, associate athletic trainer Michelle Landis, and assistant athletic trainer Bradley Yeargin. S. Yeargin, formerly of the University of Connecticut, is teaching human anatomy, among other athletic training courses. Her research interests are in the realm of heat and hydration issues of youth athletes, and she was just named as the National Athletic Trainers’ Association delegate to the American Heart Association's and American Red Cross’s International First Aid Science Advisory Board. On the board, she will review and evaluate scientific literature on first aid. Walters, formerly of the Medical Center of Arlington in Texas, designs and implements rehabilitation programs for ISU student athletes. At the Medical Center of Arlington, Walters provided rehabilitation services for the Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Fort Worth Flyers (Dallas Mavericks developmental team), and Dallas Baptist University. Landis, formerly of West Texas A&M University, is working in Athletic Training Services, with her primary responsibility being the women’s basketball team, as well as supervising men’s and women’s tennis. She also helps supervise athletic training students and graduate assistants in the clinical setting. B. Yeargin, formerly of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Conn., is the head athletic trainer for cross-country track and field, and volleyball.