In honor of National Athletic Training Month, the Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences would like to recognize the frontline workers helping to keep our community and athletes healthy and in the game – athletic trainers.

The Johnson Beth-El Athletic Training faculty have made outstanding contributions to the university.

First, there’s Mandi Elder, EdD, ATC. As an athletic trainer, Elder works with the sport of rodeo and conducts research on injury surveillance and injury prevention in the sport. She recently completed a four-year analysis of injury in professional rodeo. She has expertise in emergency planning for sport, teaching strategies for clinical thinking, and curriculum development.

“The Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences Masters of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) prepares students for fulfilling careers as athletic trainers working in various areas of sports medicine and healthcare,” shared Elder, the MSAT program director. “It’s unlike any program of its kind because of the dedicate learning space at the Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center and the clinical placement opportunities that exist on campus and in our surrounding community.” 

Next, there’s Margie Hunt, MS, LAT, ATC. Hunt teaches skills and foundations for athletic training. She served as the athletic trainer for the Women’s 3v3 Olympic Team. Hunt and her students also design the emergency plan and serve as trail volunteers for the annual Trek the Trail 5k event to raise funds for Johnson Beth-El student scholarships.

Also on faculty is Hazel Reyes MS, LAT, ATC. Reyes is a seasoned athletic trainer with over a decade of expertise, contributing to the industry at Nike Basketball and the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center. Recently, Hazel provided essential medical coverage during the USA Volleyball National Team Open Program in Colorado Springs, where Division I athletes aimed for spots on Team USA.

Beyond her contributions to elite sports, Hazel is a Senior Instructor at UCCS, teaching some of the core health science classes – Concepts of Health and Disease, Health Communication, Personal Fitness and Wellness, and Health Assessment.

Next up is Daniel Hutchison, MS, ATC, CSCS. Hutchison brings 15 years of experience as an adjunct instructor in exercise science and biomechanics. He is also a certified athletic trainer, an applied sports science director, and as a facility manager of a sports performance-based training center. Hutchison is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and as a Level 1 Functional Movement Screening (FMS) Specialist through USA Track and Field. Hutchison holds memberships in the ACSM, ECSS, and the NSCA and is a former Colorado State and Provincial (SPD) Director for the NSCA. He also specializes in Exercise Testing and Prescription, Strength and Conditioning, Methods in Exercise Physiology, and Tactical Strength and Conditioning. He is the internship coordinator for the undergraduate Human Physiology and Nutrition program.

Last, but certainly not least, there’s Kathy Liu, PhD, ATC. Liu teaches in the MSAT program. With over 15 years of teaching experience, Liu has taught different types of human anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, and athletic training courses. Liu serves as a faculty advisor for graduate research projects where she works alongside students around her research area in lower extremity injury tracking and prevention.

Johnson Beth-El’s dean is also an athletic trainer. Kevin Laudner, PhD, ATC specializes in the prevention and care of shoulder pathologies in the overhead athlete and manual therapy techniques in the evaluation and treatment of various orthopedic injuries.

During March, athletic trainers across America are being recognized for their commitment to helping people prevent injuries, stay healthy and active and most recently, leading the way with establishing Covid-19 protocols.

As healthcare professionals, they are highly educated and dedicated to the job at hand. Athletic trainers are found in high schools, colleges, corporations, professional sports, military installations, performance centers, clinics, hospitals, and physician offices.

The Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) professional program at UCCS is committed to high-quality education through team teaching by experienced faculty, hands-on clinical experiences with skilled preceptors across diverse clinical sites, and high-impact learning opportunities. The MSAT became the first graduate athletic training program in Colorado when it was awarded CAATE accreditation in the Spring 2020.

Athletic training may be the career for you! Athletic training involves emergency management, patient caregiving, medicine, and sports all wrapped into one profession. If you think athletic training is for you, then UCCS has your career path.

About Johnson Beth-El

The Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences has trained and educated the region’s health professionals and human performance professionals for over 120 years, and in 2022, celebrated 25 years with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). Students are trained to meet the needs of a rapidly changing health care landscape by providing transformative, high-quality, and compassionate care.

In 2020, Johnson Beth-El along with CommonSpirit, opened the Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center. At the same time, Johnson Beth-El also launched the Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) professional program and is actively accepting applications.

The Master of Sciences in Nutrition and Dietetics is the first Future Education Model (FEM) registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) program in Colorado and accredited by ACEND. The Hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). The traditional Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program is nationally ranked 67 out of 681 by US News and World Report.  The Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences is also consistently ranked as a US News and World Report’s Top online Master’s in Nursing program for veterans. In 2022, the college ranked #1 in the state of Colorado for veterans. Johnson Beth-El’s nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Learn more about healthcare undergraduate and graduate degree programs with Johnson Beth-El at johnsonbethel.uccs.edu.

About National Athletic Training Month and NATA

National Athletic Training Month (NATM) is held every March in order to spread awareness about the important work of athletic trainers. 

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) is the professional membership association for student and certified athletic trainers and others who support the athletic training profession. Founded in 1950, NATA has grown to more than 38,000 members worldwide today. The majority of certified athletic trainers choose to be members of NATA to support their profession and to receive a broad array of membership benefits. By joining forces as a group, NATA members can accomplish more for the athletic training profession than they can individually. The NATA national office currently has more than 40 full-time staff members who work to support NATA’s mission.