The National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) has recognized Northwell Health’s STARS Rehabilitation athletic trainers at four high schools with its Safe Sports School Award. Certified athletic trainers at just 22 schools across New York State received NATA honors.
Two-time winner Michael Gonzalez (North Shore High School) along with fellow Northwell trainers Calogero Curcuru (West Hempstead High School), Christopher Schrager (Oyster Bay High School) and Sierra Wilde (Seaford High School) each earned the NATA’s Safe Sports School Award while providing coordinated care to teenaged athletes, the lone winners in Nassau County. Mr. Gonzalez also won in 2016. The designation is renewable again in 2022.
“The fact that our program has been able to help certify four of the eight high schools in the metro New York area with the safe sports school designation speaks volumes to the value we place on student-athlete safety,” said Daniel Vaknin, vice president of Northwell Health’s Outpatient Therapy Network.
The Safe Sports School Award recognizes secondary schools around the country that take the crucial steps to keep their athletes free from injuries. These steps include coordinating pre-participation physical examinations, facilitating injury intervention as well as developing injury and illness prevention strategies. The trainers will be recognized during the Section Eight Athletic Trainers meeting June 4 at Nassau BOCES in Garden City.
For more information about certified athletic trainer services at Northwell Health, click here or call (833) 977-6787.
Submitted by Northwell Health
