As a high school freshman, Nicholas Murray was minutes from a wrestling championship when an opponent twisted his foot, tearing his meniscus and partially damaging knee ligaments. Months later, another injury—this time a spinal one during a football game—left him temporarily paralyzed.
“We didn’t have athletic trainers on the sidelines,” Murray recalled. “I wasn’t spine-boarded. I didn’t get the right care. And I’ve carried the long-term effects ever since.”
“I want to make sure the next generation of student-athletes don’t have to go through what I did,” he said.
Backed by the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute, Murray leads the innovATE Project — short for “Athletic Trainer.” The initiative funds certified Athletic Trainers in underserved schools, beginning with Wooster High School, where Neuromechanics Athletic Trainer and UNR alumna Zoe Haddox now provides on-field care.
“This isn’t just about sports,” Murray said. “It’s about keeping student-athletes healthy and active by having qualified medical professionals available to provide care, guidance and support.”
Christianne Eason, president of sport safety and education for the Korey Stringer Institute, praised the program’s sustainability.
“By placing Athletic Trainers in schools, we’re investing in the health, safety, and potential of an entire generation,” she said.
Muge Akpinar-Elci, Dean of the School of Public Health, added:
“The innovATE project expands access to care where it’s needed most. It’s public health in action.”
For Murray, the mission is personal and clear:
“Every kid deserves to play safely. This is what public health looks like—meeting people where they are, on the field and in the community.”
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