Faculty Member Receives Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award

Dr. Bill Holcomb, associate professor and director of the Athletic Training Program at The University of Southern Mississippi's School of Human Performance and Recreation has been selected to receive a 2015 Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA). Holcomb will receive his award in June at the NATA annual meeting in St. Louis, Mo.

"I am very pleased to be recognized as a most distinguished athletic trainer and honored to be in the company of many huge figures in the association who have served the NATA for more than 20 years,” said Holcomb, a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) certified Athletic Training Program Director. “I would like to thank former Southern Miss Athletic Training Program Director and NATA Hall of Fame member, Jim Gallaspy for serving as my advocate for this award."
 
This national award recognizes NATA members for their contributions and dedication to the association and athletic training profession. Holcomb has been a NATA member since 1988 and has served as the NATA's liaison to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for 10 years, and has presented his research at 17 NATA national conferences. In 2013, Holcomb was named a NATA Fellow, a status reserved for members who distinguish themselves in the athletic training profession through quality research, educational contributions and significant service to the profession.

The 2015 Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award will be presented to 17 other recipients, including Dr. Michael Miller, Graduate Athletic Training Program Director at Western Michigan University, Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz, Kenan Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina, and current NATA president James Thornton.

Holcomb has more than 40 papers published in refereed journals, has published a textbook and contributed to a number of textbook chapters. He has served on the editorial board for several journals, including the Journal of Athletic Training and Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Other professional services include vice chair of the NSCA Certification Commission, and vice president of the NSCA Board of Directors. For his research and service contributions to the NSCA he was named a Fellow in 2008. Holcomb has presented nationally and internationally, including a lecture series at the Chinese Olympic Committee's Sports Trainer Workshop, and at the World Scientific Congress on Golf in St Andrews, Scotland.