Department of Kinesiology

Prospective high school athletic training students began asking if we were planning on pursuing an undergraduate program. The staff knew that with the new facilities, the quality of teaching in the Department of Kinesiology, the interest from the student population as and solid relations between the Athletic Department and Department of Kinesiology, the need to offer an undergraduate Concentration in Athletic Training was certain.

The athletic training staff approached Dr. Amelia Lee early in the spring of 1998 regarding our interest in offering an undergraduate degree in Athletic Training. We discussed the state of affairs the profession was undergoing with the push towards curriculum programs. Dr. Lee recognized that there were no such curriculums existing at that time in the state of Louisiana.  She understood the benefits that a strong athletic training curriculum could bring to an already strong research intensive Department of Kinesiology.  She began consulting with colleagues throughout the country.  It was clear that after talking with faculty members in the southern region who were also at universities who support nationally recognized athletic programs that our program would have potential. After numerous meetings with the Athletic Department’s Director, it was clear that there would be full and on-going support from the Athletic Department.  Not only would the Department of Kinesiology benefit by the curriculum program, but also the quality of care for the student-athletes would be more consistent. Additionally, there were no CAAHEP accredited athletic training programs in the state of Louisiana.  By mid-spring, the Department of Kinesiology passed the proposal, and a request for support from the College of Education and the University was put forth. The addition of the undergraduate Concentration in Athletic Training would affect the Department of Kinesiology:  A request was made for additional positions to meet the recommendations put forth by the JRC-AT. Shortly after this request, permission was granted by the Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Barbara Fuhrmann, as well as the University’s Chancellor, Dr. Mark Emmert, to begin searching for a Program Director.

Interviews for a full-time Program Director began in June 2001, and a director was in place by August 2001. In the summer prior to his arrival, an assistant professor position was made available as well. This position was created to assist with the increasing workloads loads that would result in a new undergraduate program. Both positions were to be filled by certified athletic trainers with extensive backgrounds in teaching and curriculum development.  Joseph Myers, PhD, ATC, was hired to the position of Program Director and Tracie Parish, M.S., ATC, was to fill the Assistant Professor position. Once in place, Dr. Myers began making the appropriate changes to the proposed curriculum in order to put it in compliance with CAAHEP and the JRC-AT. Our first year candidacy report was beginning to take shape. A few months after the candidacy report was sent to the JRC-AT, a favorable report was returned and Louisiana State University was well on its way towards achieving its goal of program accreditation. 

After one year of service to Louisiana State University, Dr. Myers was given the opportunity to return to his alma mater to start the up a graduate level curriculum program. It was at that time that a committee chaired by Dr. Dennis Landin from the Department of Kinesiology and the Athletic Training Department’s staff began searching for a new Program Director. It was in the summer of 2002 that Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, was hired as the Program Director of the Concentration in Athletic Training.  Dr. Castle had extensive experience as a practitioner and as an athletic training educator, where he worked with several athletic training programs in the developmental and self-study accreditation process. 

In May 2003, the self-study accreditation documentation was submitted to the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Athletic Training (JRC-AT) to obtain accreditation as a CAAHEP-accredited undergraduate athletic training education program.  An on-site accreditation visit was conducted in the Fall semester of 2003.  CAAHEP granted initial accreditation status to the Concentration in Athletic Training on April 23, 2004, for a period of five (5) years, the longest accreditation period granted to programs. 

The first graduating cohort (six students) of the Concentration in Athletic Training graduated in 2004. 

In the Spring 2004, Melissa Thompson, M.Ed., ATC, was hired for the Athletic Training Instructor position by the Department of Kinesiology.

Effective July 1, 2006, all athletic training education programs moved from accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs to a new accreditation body, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).  The accreditation status has been transferred to CAATE.

The program’s next re-accreditation site visit (under CAATE) will occur in the Spring of 2009.