Why SWATA? Why Now?

As is usually the custom when a person moves from one year to the next they take stock of their lives. When doing this they look at the things that have worked well for them, the things that didn’t work so well, and then they make decisions as to what to continue with in the future and what to let go by the wayside. As athletic trainers we do this evaluation not only at the end of the year, but also in our day to day activities at our jobs. If there is a certain modality or treatment type that we are using that is no longer working then we discontinue it and try something else. If there is a particular technique that we have always used that continues to withstand the test of time then we keep using it. Am I writing this blog to say that we as athletic trainers know our stuff? Well, of course I am.

I’m also writing this because as we move into 2009 the New Year brings with it a renewed sense of excitement. We all have our resolutions where we are aiming to improve our lives or the lives around us.

But, alas, the New Year also brings with it NATA dues renewal. If you have already paid your dues for 2009 I would like to extend a hearty thank you from not only the SWATA Executive Board, but also from the NATA and your state associations as well. If you have not already renewed and are planning to do so consider this a very friendly reminder. If you are considering not renewing your NATA/SWATA/State Association membership this year let me give you some reasons to reconsider. If it is a financial reason only don’t forget that the NATA now has an installment plan so that you are not responsible for the entire cost of the association dues all at one time. Unfortunately I hear from time to time from unhappy athletic trainers that either consider dropping their membership or they already have. I hear from these hard working people a variety of reasons, but there are several common themes.

• The NATA, SWATA, state associations doesn’t help the individual athletic trainer in their day to day life.
• The NATA, SWATA, state associations don’t understand them.
• The leadership structure is a good ole boy system.
• The athletic trainer just doesn’t think that the associations understand what they need
  

I’m writing this blog today to hopefully address of these concerns. Basically I want to answer the question “Why SWATA? Why Now?” When I hear the first complaint that the professional associations don’t help the individual athletic trainer in their day to day life I always ask that person what would like for SWATA to do for them? While it is true that neither I nor any Executive Board member can go to each individual member’s place of employment to solve all of their problems that member can still benefit greatly from the work of the association. In the secondary school setting for example there has been the athletic trainer location project that the SSATC is completing or the secondary school employment workshop that was put on at the 2007 SWATA Convention. The NATA has established a new committee for clinical and emerging practices settings. This national committee is being chaired by SWATA Hall of Famer Kathy Dieringer. The College and University athletic trainers’ committee chaired at the district level by David Weir is also one of the more active committees in SWATA. As you can see whether you are in one of these settings, or something completely different there are specialized committees that exist purely to make sure that you the individual is represented.

I also hear that association leadership doesn’t understand the needs of the individual athletic trainer. The young professional members being one of the loudest voices and rightfully so as they do not want to inherit an irrelevant association. Once again the NATA has taken a step to make sure that this important demographic is represented by establishing the Young Professionals Committee. In our district we have a very energetic and able chair in Carissa Spraberry. She has done wonderful things for newly licensed and certified athletic trainers in district six.

The leadership structure is the “good ole boy” system where the same people do everything and the only way to get involved is to know someone is also something that I hear. I can say that is not the way that SWATA does business. We have had a volunteer list for a little over two years now. Only people who have signed up on the volunteer list are assigned to committees. We on the SWATA Executive Board want to make sure that everyone who wants to be involved gets that opportunity so we have also been enforcing term limits on not only committee chairs, but also the members of those committees.

Finally a comment that I hear is the association just doesn’t understand what the athletic trainer needs. Once again it is impossible for the association to be all things to all people we can take steps to help the individual have an easier time of performing their chosen profession. The NATA is now giving away CEUs as a member benefit because they know that money is tight. At the midwinter executive board meeting later this month in Lubbock the SWATA Executive Board will be discussing a new structure for the executive board to be more in line with member wishes. The Executive Board will also be hosting a member reception that all athletic trainers are invited to attend. This reception will be so that the hard working athletic trainer out in the trenches has the opportunity to meet and greet the elected and appointed leadership of SWATA and also to talk to them about what they feel their issues are. Look for more information on this reception in the upcoming weeks.

Happy New Year to all and do not hesitate to contact me or any SWATA Executive Board member with any problems, crises, difficulties, questions, etc.


Thanks,
Mike Carroll M Ed, ATC, LAT
SWATA Vice President