Relief Efforts for the University of Alabama

On April 27th, a deadly 200mph tornado swept through the South, leaving devastation and destruction to many areas. One of the areas most affected was Tuscaloosa, AL, home of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. In response to this disaster, Jeff Allen, MS, ATC, Director of Sports Medicine at the University of Alabama has asked his SEC Colleagues for help in their relief effort. His letter reads as follows:

"SEC Colleagues,

As you are all aware, our city has suffered indescribable damage from the tornado on Wednesday. I can't thank each of you enough for the countless calls, emails, and text messages. Every member of our staff has received so many messages from our SEC friends.

Many of you have asked how you can help. We have an urgent need on our staff. A house where 4 of our Athletic Training GA's lived was completely destroyed and they lost everything. Thankfully, although they were in the house, they walked away.

We have set up a fund to provide them with anything they need to return their lives to some normalcy. If you are interested, donations can be made by sending a check made out to the University of Alabama. In the memo section, designate it for "Athletic Training Gift Account".

We have been blown away by the response from every school in our conference and can't thank you enough for your support. Please pray for our city and our entire region as we recover from this tragedy.

Thank You,

Jeff Allen
Director of Sports Medicine
University of Alabama"



It is hard to completely understand the magnitude of their situation, but so many of us from Louisiana can relate to the enormity of their tragedy. It's been close to 6 years since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the homes and lives of so many our athletes and athletic trainers. That August, an email that went out to our close friends asking for help...just like Jeff's. We had an incredible response from athletic trainers all over the country that wanted to help. Alabama was one of those Universities that came to our aide. Now it is our turn! Our staff is asking that we all help them in their time of need. You can send donations (checks or gift cards in any amount) to us, and we will send everything we receive directly to Jeff Allen. We will forward your gifts exactly how we receive them. This way they will know the individuals or school that has made the contribution to their relief efforts. I am hoping that sending the donations in bulk will help reduce the risk that it will get lost in their postal system that has likely been compromised.

In order to expedite these relief efforts, the LSU Athletic Training Staff is asking that anyone wishing to donate to the relief fund make checks payable to "University of Alabama" with "Athletic Training Gift Fund" in the memo field. These checks and other donations in the form of gift cards, etc should be sent to the address below, where they will be sent as a group to the University of Alabama:

Louisiana State University Athletic Training
ATTN: Shelly Mullenix
PO Box 25095
Baton Rouge, LA 70894

If you would like to send your donations directly to Jeff Allen, please email me for his address: smulle1@lsu.edu

Please take the time to help our friends and colleagues who lost so much in this devastating tragedy.

LSU Athletic Training Alumni Party at NATA Convention

The National Athletic Trainers' Association 62nd Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposia will take place in New Orleans, LA on Sunday, June 19th -Wednesday, June 22nd. We are expecting a large turnout for this years convention and wanted to coordinate our biggest alumni party yet. Let's show the country how LSU can party...

Event: LSU Athletic Training Alumni Party
Location:
Red Eye Grill
852 S Peters St.
New Orleans, LA 70130-1708
Date and Time: Monday June 20th, 7:00-11:00 pm
Price: $20 early registration or $25 at the door
(Guests can pay at the door)

To reserve your spot, mail your check to:
Ana Gross
740 Glenmore Ave
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Come spend the evening with us and enjoy good food, drinks, a few door prizes. It will be a great time to meet back up with old friends and fellow LSU Athletic Training Alumni!


Map of Red Eye Grill from Ernest N Morial Convention Center

Click here for driving directions.

Faculty and Staff Earn Awards at 2011 SEATA Convention

On Saturday, March 12, 2011 at the Southeast Athletic Trainers' Association Awards Luncheon in Atlanta, GA, the LSU Athletic Training Staff was awarded a few prestigious awards for their honorary achievement in the profession of Athletic Training.

Jack Marucci, MS, ATC, Director of Athletic Training and Head Athletic Trainer for LSU Football along with the rest of the LSU Athletic Training Staff, were awarded the College/University Athletic Trainer Award. This award is presented to an Athletic Trainer who serves in many roles in addition to Athletic Training, in the institution, community, and SEATA. Marucci and members of the Athletic Training Staff also serve as clinical instructors in the College of Education's Department of Kinesiology.

Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, LAT, Director of Athletic Training Education Program and Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology received the Chuck Kimmel Award of Merit. This award is given to a member of SEATA who has worked for the district on a national level and brought honor and distinction to the district.


Melissa Thompson, PhD, MEd, ATC, Athletic Training Program Instructor received the Backbone Award. This award, named for the way the "backbone" makes the day-to-day functioning of the Athletic Training Room a smooth process, recognizes an Athletic Trainer who has provided a significant contribution to Athletic Training Program operations and to the Head Athletic Trainer.


Picture Above (L-R): Keith Thompson, MS, ATC, CSCS (accepting College/University Athletic Trainer Award), Melissa Thompson, PhD, MEd, ATC (Backbone Award), and Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, LAT (Chuck Kimmel Award of Merit)

For the original media release article, please visit the College of Education, Department of Kinesiology's website here.

For more information about 2011 SEATA Award winners, visit the website here.

Late Detection of Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans in a High School Football Player: A Case Report by Shari Benson, Former LSU Graduate Assistant

Shari Benson, former LSU Graduate Assistant, and currently in a fellowship with the Steadman Clinic, is presenting an Oral Case Study at this year's 62nd Annual NATA National Convention and Clinical Symposium in New Orleans, LA. Below is a brief overview of her case study. Be sure to attend the Convention to see Shari present the full Case Study. Yet another educational story and a reminder of how our LSU Alumni are contributing to the improvement of the health and well-being of athletes.

Late Detection of Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans in a High School Football Player: A Case Report

Abstract: Case report on a 17 YO football player at a rural high school who went misdiagnosed of R elbow OCD for 4 years. He had no MOI, but reported catching and locking with activity and was treated for lateral epicondylitis. A CT Scan revealed multiple loose bodies and moderate to severe damage to the articular surface of his capitellum. He underwent a R elbow synovectomy, loose body excision, and chondroplasty of his capitellum. He has now returned to sport without issues. The significance of this report is that OCD is commonly misdiagnosed in high school athletes, but is a common injury in adolescent football players and gymnasts. Due to the length of time this athlete went untreated, his lesion worsened to the point where he had 4 large loose bodies and significant damage to his articular cartilage, which makes him 50% more susceptible to having arthritis later in life. Most physicians are hesitant to operate on young athletes due to growth plate factors and their ability to heal non-operatively, however, untreated OCD is the leading cause of permanent elbow disability. Therefore, it is important to have the knowledge and clinical skill set to detect OCD early in adolescent athletes in order to avoid elbow arthritis and disability long-term.

LSU Athletic Training Student of the Month

Congratulations to Dani Klein, this month's Student of the Month! Dani is a 3rd year Athletic Training Student currently working with University High School. Previous clinical rotations include LSU Football and Swimming and Diving. Throughout her years at LSU, Dani has been a superior role model and leader in both the classroom and clinically, as well as actively promoting the Athletic Training profession. At the conclusion of her junior year, Dani obtained a highly sought after NFL Summer Internship position with the Buffalo Bills. She was LSU's first female athletic training student to acquire such an internship. As expected, she represented LSU with integrity and hard work. She currently serves as the President of LSU's Student Organization, Alpha Tau Sigma, where she takes on many leadership responsibilities, including community service events and fundraisers. One of her main responsibilities this year was to coordinate the Alpha Tau Sigma's Annual High School Student Symposium.

Melissa Sorrells, MS, ATC, Head Athletic Trainer for University High School has had the pleasure of supervising Dani's current clinical rotation while at LSU and says "Dani's extraordinary leadership abilities have enabled her to become one of the top students in the program. Her passion and dedication to the Athletic Training profession as well as U-High has made her one to be counted on and looked up to, from not just the student athletes, but to faculty, staff, and other medical professionals as well. I have no doubt that she will succeed in her future role at Virginia Tech and go on to do great things for Athletic Training". Upon leaving the LSU Athletic Training Program in May, Dani will attend Virginia Tech University where she will obtain her Master's Degree while pursuing a Graduate Assistantship with Swimming and Diving. We wish Dani the best of luck in her future endeavors in the Athletic Training profession!