1st Quarter 2024 Newsletter (copy) 
President's Report
Happy 2024 to All!
We all hope everyone got at least a few days rest with family to recover and recharge over the holidays!
(but we all know that’s not always the case in our profession!) I wanted to share a few things with
members in this newsletter, mainly an updated on our legislative efforts and also some reminders as we
approach the WATA 2024 Annual meeting!
First, a couple of updates on our legislative efforts. Beginning January 1st, WATA has switched lobbying
firms to represent us in Madison. WATA has been represented by Stenger Government Relations for
over 25 years, and Scott Stenger has done a tremendous job representing us in Madison. In addition to
Scott, over the last 12 years, we were also represented by Matt Phillips who worked for Scott, and who in
recent years has taken on more responsibilities and had become our primary point of contact. Last year,
Matt transitioned into his own lobbying firm, PW Government Relations Group, which he runs with his
colleague and fellow lobbyist Michael Welsh, and the WATA BOD made the decision to contract with
them for lobbying and advocacy/grass roots services. WATA thanks Scott Stenger for his year of service
and looks forward to more legislative successes moving forward with the PW Group.
Since WATA testified on our bill Assembly Bill 311 before the Assembly Committee on Insurance in
September, Matt has been meeting with committee members, as well as working with the bill’s authors
Rep. Wittke and Senator Testin on moving the bill forward. We have had good discussions, however
there is still more work to do educating legislators on what AB 311 does … AND what it does not do. In
the coming week or so, WATA will be sending out a Legislative alert to all members on AB 311, and
encouraging them to contact your legislators. The email will contain a summary of the bill, how to
identify who your legislator is and their contact information, as well as a template of a letter/email you
can send in support. Rep. Wittke and Sen. Testin are both committed to pushing the bill forward.
However, our bill and efforts, much like many other bills have been somewhat lost in the shuffle due to
the battle in Madison regarding the legislative redistricting discussions and battles that are happening. We
are cautiously optimistic that we will be able to keep things moving forward. And we will hopefully have
more updates to share with the members at the annual WATA business meeting in Oshkosh as part of the
2024 Annual Symposium.
Speaking of the 2024 Annual Symposium we are excited to relocating the meeting to a new venue and a
new time format as well. Again, the annual meeting will be in Oshkosh April 25 th & 26 th , which is a
Thursday and Friday format. The annual meeting will be held at the Waterfront Hotel and Convention
center in Oshkosh and more information is available here in the newsletter as well as on the WATA
website at HERE. The WATA Continuing Education Committee has been hard at work to develop a solid
program over the two days!
Good luck to you all as you finish up your winter seasons and prep for your Spring seasons! And we hope
to see you all in Oshkosh in April!
Best,
Keith Owsley
WATA President
[email protected]
Secondary School Committee Re-Launch
In December, the WATA Board of Directors approved the re-launch of the WATA Secondary Schools AT Committee. The board acknowledges the importance of our members in secondary school settings. After approving the committee's revival, Roland Schmidt, LAT, ATC, was appointed as the Committee Chair. The committee aims to have representation from athletic trainers in secondary schools across Wisconsin within the WATA.
Currently, WATA is looking for one volunteer from each WATA region to join and contribute to the relaunch of our Secondary School AT committee. If you're interested, feel free to step forward and get involved!
WATA Annual Meeting and Symposium
Registration is now open!
JUST A DRIVE AWAY. MEET US ON THE WATERFRONT IN APRIL.
From Wausau an hour and forty minutes to Oshkosh.
From Eau Claire a three-hour drive to Oshkosh.
From Janesville at two-hour drive to Oshkosh.
From Milwaukee an hour and twenty minutes to Oshkosh
Don't forget to upgrade your symposium experience by including the PAC Fundraiser event ticket in your registration! Your participation in the PAC Fundraiser significantly supports our Governmental Affairs Committee's efforts to bolster legislative initiatives. Last year's PAC Fundraiser saw a strong turnout, contributing to its success. Join us in maintaining this momentum as we strive to achieve our legislative goals for 2024!
Full schedule coming soon!
The hotel block for the room reservations at the Oshkosh Waterfront Hotel are open! See the Meeting page on our website for full details.
Call For Student Poster & Free Comm Abstracts
The Athletic Training Student Poster Contest is an opportunity for athletic training students to compete to present a poster of a research project, clinical case, or clinical pearl at the WATA Annual Business Meeting and Symposium. Participants have the opportunity to be selected by the WATA Research Committe to earn an award and prize for the top poster in three categories.
The submission must be received by 11:59pm on Friday, March 8, 2024. Applicants will be notified of the WATA Research Committee’s decision around April 1, 2024. Submission Guidelines can be found on the Meeting page or student poster contest page of our website.
For more details and questions, please contact Naoko Giblin, Research Committee Chair, at [email protected].
The Free Communication Sessions provide a forum for researchers, clinicians, and students to disseminate research and clinical case studies. Abstracts are reviewed and selected by the WATA Research Committee and are presented via poster and oral presentations.
The submission must be received by 11:59pm on Friday, March 8, 2024. Applicants will be notified of the WATA Research Committee’s decision around April 1, 2024. Submission Guidelines can be found on the Meeting page.
Awards and Scholarships
We are excited to announce that we will officially begin accepting nominations for our esteemed awards, including the Hall of Fame, Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Educator Award, and Honorary Membership.
This is your opportunity to recognize and celebrate those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the athletic training profession. Your nominations play a vital role in acknowledging the dedication and expertise within our community.
Check out the details on the nomination process and let's come together to honor the best in our field.
Here are a couple of things you can get started on:
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Visit https://watainc.org/distinguished-service to learn about nomination criteria
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Prepare a written letter of nomination for your candidate
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Collect a Curriculum Vitae from your candidate
These scholarships represent our commitment to supporting the future of athletic training and honoring those who have left an indelible mark on our profession. Among them are the $1,000 WATA Founding Fathers Scholarship, the two (2), $1,000 Mueller Professional Scholarships, and the $1,000 Jeff Oliphant Post-Graduate Scholarship. These scholarships not only offer financial assistance but also recognize dedication, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence in the athletic training field.
The scholarship application deadline is March 1st, 2024. Please review the criteria for the scholarship prior to sending in the application.
Your future in athletic training just got brighter!
Scholarship applications and criteria can be found at https://watainc.org/Scholarships For questions, contact Anna Linstedt, A&S Committee Chair at [email protected]
