2002 National Athletic Training Month Theme Selected: Prevention: Avoid Injury - Stay Active

DALLAS (December 13, 2001) - The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has announced that injury prevention will be the focus for National Athletic Training Month - March 2002. Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) nationwide will be recognized during the national health event, celebrated each March, with the theme "Prevention: Avoid Injury - Stay Active." This summer, several tragic sports-related deaths dominated headlines across the country reporting a need for increased focus on injury prevention. During March, ATCs will step forward to give the public firsthand knowledge of the importance of preventative care for any type of physical activity. "This year's theme centers on the ATC's primary area of focus - injury prevention," stated NATA President Julie Max. "In March, our goal is to advance the public's knowledge of injury prevention and to build awareness of the growing importance of the athletic training profession." The NATA, based in Dallas, Texas, is a not-for-profit organization with more than 27,000 members nationwide. The NATA's mission is to enhance the quality of health care for athletes and those engaged in physical activity, and to advance the profession of athletic training through education and research in the prevention, evaluation, management and rehabilitation of injuries.