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This summer, the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) is set to honor Heather Landry Shirley, a distinguished professor from the University of Mississippi, with the 2024 Athletic Trainer Service Award.
This prestigious accolade is in recognition of her exemplary service within the athletic training profession. The ceremony will take place during the NATA Clinical Symposia and AT Expo in New Orleans, from June 25 to 28, 2024.
Reflecting on her selection, Shirley expressed her gratitude and acknowledged the collective effort behind her success, stating,
“To have been selected for this award goes beyond what I could have ever imagined achievable in my career as an athletic trainer. It represents the hard work of all of those who have gone before me that made a path for me to be able to have this opportunity and it represents all of those who have yet to take that first step on that path.”
The Athletic Trainer Service Award is given to NATA members who demonstrate a strong commitment to leadership, volunteer service, advocacy, and professional activities at both the local and state levels.
Recipients are recognized for their involvement in professional associations, community organizations, public relations efforts, and volunteer service as Athletic Trainers.
Peter Grandjean, the dean of the School of Applied Sciences, praised Shirley for her attributes:
“Dr. Shirley is hardworking, tenacious, thoughtful, curious, and compassionate.”
He credited her, along with Corbit Franks, for developing a new athletic training degree program at the university, which has now achieved professional accreditation.
Shannon Singletary, executive associate athletics director for internal operations at the Ole Miss athletics department, commended Shirley's dedication to advancing the athletic training profession both nationally and within the state of Mississippi.
He highlighted her service on the leadership board for the Mississippi Athletic Trainers’ Association and her efforts in mentoring and speaking at conferences.
Shirley, who joined Ole Miss in 2002 and moved into a full-time role in the athletics department in 2004, has significantly contributed to the field as a healthcare professional. She emphasized the importance of the often unseen work Athletic Trainers do:
“Athletic Trainers are health care professionals, and our profession is filled with thousands of phenomenal individuals who give their all every day and often go unnoticed for their tireless efforts.”
Through her career, Shirley has not only elevated the standards within athletic training but also fostered meaningful relationships and trust with her colleagues and patients.
Her recognition by the NATA underscores her significant contributions and tireless dedication to the profession and the broader healthcare community.
