June July 2024 - 7

Most Valuable Athletic Trainers of the Year
I
n athletic training, excellence is not just a goal but
a standard.
Training & Conditioning magazine's annual Most
Valuable Athletic Trainer of the Year award epitomizes this
pursuit of distinction. This prestigious accolade recognizes
the unparalleled dedication, innovation, and impact
of athletic trainers who go above and beyond in their
commitment to athlete care and professional development.
Celebrating these trailblazers not only highlights their
exceptional contributions but also inspires the entire
community to strive for higher standards of excellence in
the field.
This year's winners represent the high school, college/
university, and non-traditional settings as we continue
to grow the award and recognize industry leaders across
multiple environments within the athletic training landscape.
Below, we highlight the three winners-Melissa Portela,
Erin Leaver, and Jeremy Howard-and how they achieved
excellence within their respective fields.
HIGH SCHOOL
Melissa Portela is training the next generation of athletic
trainers. Not only is Portela a preceptor to athletic training
students at Grand Canyon University, but she is also a
teacher in Sandra Day O'Connor High School's Sports
Medicine program-a position she's held for 10 years at
O'Connor and 18 overall.
" She plays a vital role in our athletic department and
our Career and Technology Education department, "
Melissa Hobson, Sandra Day O'Connor High School
softball coach, said.
She teaches Introduction to Sports Medicine, the
National Academy of Sports Medicine-Certified Personal
Training, and the Senior Internship class. As a teacher and
an athletic trainer, Portela is used to wearing multiple hats.
After completing her college education, Portela played and
coached basketball professionally in Denmark, where she
also served as the team's athletic trainer.
" It's great when the students you keep in touch with
because you've had them for four years. They go off to
college and come back and say, 'I just passed my boards,'
or 'I just got into PA school,' or 'I'm a nurse now working at
this hospital,' " Portela said. " It's a huge win. And it's those
light bulb moments that you get that can be better wins
and victories. "
Portela also urges community work from our studentathletes
and those in her classes. Whether it is events
surrounding Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or Diabetic Awareness
Day, she facilitates and empowers students to be active
in their communities and foster an understanding of
servant leadership.
" She rallies her students to get behind and support
these campaigns. Missy is an excellent representation of
athletic trainers, " Hobson said.
NAME: Melissa Portela
HOMETOWN: Boise, ID
OCCUPATION: Head Athletic Trainer/
Sports Medicine Instructor, Sandra
Day O'Connor High School,
Phoenix, AZ
EDUCATION: B.S., Sports Medicine, California
Lutheran University; M.A., Curriculum and
Instruction of Exercise Science & Sports
Medicine, Boise State University
COLLEGE
Most athletic trainers can develop soft skills
throughout their careers. Others are simply born
with the gift of empathy. The latter can be said for
Waynesburg University's head athletic trainer, Erin Leaver.
" Her infectious demeanor exudes empathy. Coupled
with an easygoing personality Erin creates a caring
and understanding healthcare environment where the
primacy of student-athletesreverberates through the
walls of the entire athletic department, " Andy Palko,
WaynesburgUniversity's Assistant Athletic Director
for Sports Medicine said.
It's shown by her membership of Waynesburg's "
Care Team, " which is charged with identifying students
of concern and intervening as early as possible. As a
member, one of Leaver's key accomplishments thus
far has been the attention she has brought to studentathletes'
mental health challenges as well as being
an advocate for our profession and the education and
skills ATs possess.
" I think about the best clinicians that I've worked with
[and] that's really what they excelled at. It was the ability
to be really good at reading people and understanding the
emotional needs of the moment. When a student-athlete
gets bad news or has an injury, that's all that matters in that
we need to stabilize them and make sure that they're safe.
But secondarily, almost just as important, is their soft skills
and making sure that they know that they are loved in that
moment and trying to calm them down, " Leaver said.
training-conditioning.com | 7
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June July 2024

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