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The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) recently honored the South Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association (SCATA) with the Governmental Affairs Dan Campbell Legislative Award.
SCATA, led by Amy Fraley, exercise science clinical assistant professor and former president of SCATA, also received the Dave Montgomery Advocacy Award from the Board of Certification, Inc. for their work lobbying for legislation to license athletic trainers as health care professionals in South Carolina. Fraley stated:
“Moving the athletic training profession to licensed health care professionals took a lot of lobbying with the legislature from a lot of Athletic Trainers.”
Alumni Zach Richards and Kevin Herod played crucial roles in pushing the bill, with support from lobbyists Jeff Thordahl, Trey Byars, and NATA’s Government Affairs Department.
The efforts culminated in the bill passing in just six months, officially making South Carolina the 47th state to adopt state licensure for athletic trainers.
As of 2024, South Carolina Athletic Trainers must submit licensure information to the Board of Medical Examiners under the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. This move offers greater protection for athletic trainers and the patients they serve.
Under the previous model, Athletic Trainers were not protected by the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act, which caused issues with professional liability insurance when crossing state lines for athletic events. Fraley added:
“This is a big deal. It’s a major step forward for the profession at the national level."
Current SCATA president William Christman stated:
“The recognition from this legislative win will help us continue moving Athletic Training forward in South Carolina."
This legislation helps ensure that athletic trainers in South Carolina are recognized as essential health care professionals, offering critical support for athletes and others across the state.
Read the full report here!
