March E-Blast 
Happy National Athletic Training Month
National Athletic Training Month (NATM) is held every March in order to spread awareness about the important work of athletic trainers. The 2026 tagline is “Care You Can Count On”.
Be sure to use our SCATA NATM logo (attached) on your socials, in your email and post in your ATR! Tag our social media accounts to be reposted!
Top 10 To-Do's this NATM
SCATA Advocacy
Urge South Carolina legislators to support HouseBill 4753, the AT Student Loan Assistance Program
House Bill 4753 has been introduced in the South Carolina General Assembly, and we need your help to advance it.
H.4753 would give South Carolina public schools a valuable tool to recruit and retain athletic trainers. By helping offset federal student loans required for their professional education, this program strengthens the benefits available to school-based athletic trainers and supports school administrators in keeping these essential healthcare providers in our communities. Workforce shortages make it increasingly difficult for schools to maintain consistent access to care. H.4753 helps address this challenge and ensures students in our state can rely on trained healthcare professionals when they need it most.
You can find a precomposed message to send to your legislator here: https://www.nata.org/advocacy/federal/legislative-alert-center
South Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association
Committee Reports
SCATA BEACON
SCATA BEACON is seeking members to join our Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee (EDAC), Access, and LGBTQ+ committees. BEACON (Belonging, Empowerment, Access, Collaboration, Opportunity, and Navigation) works to foster connection, visibility, and support within athletic training across South Carolina.
We are currently looking for SCATA members who are interested in:
• Contributing to initiatives that promote ethnic diversity, cultural awareness, and advocacy within athletic training (EDAC)
• Advancing accessibility, inclusion, and equitable participation within our profession (ACCESS)
• Supporting LGBTQ+ visibility, education, and community in athletic training spaces (LGBTQ)
Committee involvement offers an opportunity to contribute to meaningful education, advocacy, and inclusive efforts that strengthen our profession statewide. Interested members are encouraged to complete the involvement form at https://scata.starchapter.com/form.php?form_id=33 or contact us at [email protected] to learn more.
Together, we can continue building a supportive and connected SCATA community.
History Committee
We continue to collect information for our Historical Archives. If you are new to South Carolina, left South Carolina, or have changed jobs, please let us know. We want to include you in our history. Everyone counts!
Have you been recognized, won an award, been acknowledged, served at the North/South All Star Games? Please let us know.
A Work History Questionnaire can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCxjWBFgHNNknC_jFJzu0OUy4J00N7QLqnb4DevgnuCigFKw/viewform?usp=sharing
To submit information for our Historical Archives, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Historical Trivia
Question: Who was the first Athletic Trainer at Wofford College?
Answer: Warren G. Ariail, Jr. (1941)
Secondary Schools Committee
Please take a few moments to participate in the Secondary School Survey. Any information we are able to gather will be passed along at a later date.
The following is information from the InvestigATe program that the NATA Secondary School Committee is working on. It is a free program for high school students. Attached is a flyer that lists the info about the program and its steps. A "sponsor" who is an adult (teacher, AT, etc) needs to sign them up for the program using the link below:
https://www.athletictrainers.org/at4me/im-high-school-student
The target of the program is to introduce high school students to Athletic Training and grow interest in the profession.
Mary McCallister Memorial Scholarship
We are now accepting applications for the Mary McAllister Memorial Scholarship presented by Prisma Health Orthopedics. This scholarship is designed for graduating high school seniors who are pursuing a degree in healthcare related professions.
For more information and to begin the application process, click the following link https://forms.office.com/r/eL6kWi6y0F or scan QR code. Applicants will submit the electronic questionnaire in the link/QR code, then email the required documents to the email listed. If there are any questions, please refer to the contact person designated in the information page.
Secondary Schools Workshop
We had another great SCATA Secondary Schools Workshop hosted at River Bluff High School on February 21st. There were 55 secondary students in attendance with about 45 college students presenting various symposia. Thank you to our sponsors: Powerade, Spartanburg Regional, Winthrop University, Perform Better, Henry Schein, and Carolina Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Associates.
Annual SCATA Symposium
We are getting ready for the 2026 SCATA Annual Symposium! Symposium website and information will be live April 15, 2026. Registration will open May 1, 2026.
SCATA CALL FOR PROFESSIONAL AND STUDENT FREE COMMUNICATION ABSTRACTS
Deadline For Abstract Submission: May 29th 2026 @ 11:59 PM
Submission Instructions:
All abstracts must be submitted electronically via the Google Form link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHqYg1bpLWu6Ga0jU8_8hOBYXBW0NzJncsKHQP1QFbcxaYwA/viewform
Direct any questions to:
Wyatt McCrackin, ATC
SCATA Free Communications Chair
[email protected]
NATA News
NATA Membership Benefit
Joining NATA offers athletic trainers valuable benefits in professional development, advocacy, connection and support, including enhanced access to the entire NATA Educate On-Demand Course Catalog and access to a variety of resources like the Salary Survey, or the NATA Career Center, the best place to find athletic training jobs. Learn more about becoming a member or renew your membership by visiting our membership section.
NATA Convention
The 77th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo is Monday, June 29 - Thursday, July 2, 2026 in Philadelphia! In a city that shaped America, ATs shape what's next. Arrive for the learning, stay for a summer of global sport and a once-in-250-years celebration. Lead. Learn. Celebrate. Register today!
Save the Date: Virtual Town Halls
Leading up to the 77th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo June 29-July 2 in Philadelphia, members will also have opportunities to hear directly from the NATA Presidential candidates and ask them questions during various virtual town hall events. Save the following virtual town hall times and dates, and check back soon for registration information:
- 3 p.m. CDT March 26 – register now
- 11 a.m. CDT April 14 – register now
- 3 p.m. CDT May 27 – register now
Members must fill out this form to submit questions. Questions selected by the moderator will be presented during the published town hall sessions. Similar or duplicate submissions may be consolidated. Questions may also be edited for clarity, length or relevance to the role of NATA president.
