Alumna is newest inductee into NATA Hall of Fame

Katie Walsh Flanagan, MS, EdD, LAT, ATC, had plans to become a veterinarian when she chose OSU in the late 1970s, but a chance injury and visit to an athletic trainer would change the course of her education and eventual career. She left Oregon State and went on to earn two graduate degrees and spend 43 years as a certified athletic trainer. Now retired, her contributions and commitment to the profession have earned her a spot in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Hall of Fame, the pinnacle for leaders in the profession.

“I am forever grateful for Oregon State University,” she says, “because I was well-prepared for my future. I absolutely loved my time in Corvallis and embraced every opportunity the university afforded me. At OSU, I became a scholarship athlete, served on committees, participated in club sports and met friends of a lifetime. The lessons learned shaped my future and launched me into a fantastic career. I am so grateful for all the OSU faculty, staff, coaches and fellow students who made such positive impacts on my life.”

You received a BS in Physical Education in 1980. Why OSU? Why PE?

My degree was in physical education because athletic training was not yet a program or major. Funny thing, but the majority of my credits were in zoology; I only took the AT courses and a handful of PE classes. I chose OSU because of its ‘Animal Science’ program, and I was considering being a veterinarian. I took only one course, however, because I was injured in a bicycling accident and the physician, Dr. Steven Roy, told me to see the athletic trainer to address my fractured ribs and radius. Because of that, I was able to play field hockey and was hooked on the profession. I wanted the ability to help athletes safely continue to play.

What do you remember and/or appreciate most about your time at OSU?

I remember the phenomenal people at Oregon State University the most. My entire career is based on Ropes* and his staff of athletic trainers, and I owe a dept of gratitude that I can never repay to them.  I thoroughly enjoyed living in the dorms all four years and participating in on-campus activities. I absolutely loved the campus and my access to everything, because it was very walkable. I am a third-generation Californian and had never seen the four seasons before, and at OSU, the campus is stunning and celebrates each season differently.

What are your thoughts on OSU’s AT program, how it’s evolved, and how it prepares students for the field?

I am so very proud of Oregon State’s Athletic Training Program! This program was the foundation of my entire career, and the lessons learned at OSU, be it in the classroom or on the field, shaped me into the athletic trainer I am today. OSU’s athletic training program has grown in leaps and bounds since I graduated and is one of the largest producers of certified professionals in the country.

Students so are very fortunate to have established researchers and leaders in Drs. Mark Hoffman and Sam Johnson. When I went through the program, the norm was that clinical athletic trainers taught the majority of lessons in our field, and it was rare that more than one other person to provide didactic education. To have so many deliciated faculty, let alone the high quality of those currently at OSU, is a tribute to the administration to keep an outstanding program at the forefront of a strong future.

Please summarize your career experiences. What did each new experience offer?

When my graduation from OSU was approaching, I had to choose. I could go to Arizona, where most recent graduates went for a well-established, post-graduate education, or I could branch out on my own. I felt that if I followed the crowd, I – as a woman – would be assigned a high school experience, when I really wanted to continue in NACC Division 1 athletics. I felt I would not be considered for college sports if my post-certification in athletic training was in a secondary school, so I accepted a graduate assistantship at Illinois State University where I studied athletic training. Two semesters later, I had a master’s degree under my belt and looked toward my next step. I chose Western Illinois University, where I was the head athletic trainer, over other universities offering one of their many assistant athletic trainer positions.

One of the best experiences I had was being the head athletic trainer for the men’s professional soccer team in Chicago. This was such a fantastic time in my life, and the men with whom I worked were so wonderful. 

I chose to return to California at Fresno State University to be closer to my family, because my father had recently passed. I would likely have finished my career there, but the California State University System suffered massive budget cuts entering my third year there. Because I was one of the more recent hires, I lost the job I loved.

Because I was laid off, I investigated securing a job where that is a rare occurrence. The University of Southern California had a program to earn a doctorate, but only if you are an underrepresented population in the field after earning a doctorate. I did my research. At the time, there were no women serving as athletic training program directors, and that was how I geared my application. A year later, with my terminal degree in hand, I chose East Carolina University. I had offers from every place I interviewed across the United States, but ECU was the only program that embraced the other half of my plan – continuing to practice as an athletic trainer while researching, publishing, teaching and running a program. I still firmly believe that graduates from ECU’s athletic training program are better because they were taught in the classroom and on the fields and courts by a person who did both.

What have you most enjoyed about your career as an athletic trainer?

The aspects of my career that I enjoyed most are two-fold: To see graduates of East Carolina University’s Athletic Training program shine in their own light, make great decisions and serve the field of athletic training well; and the on-field experiences I have had working as an athletic trainer and alongside students – teaching as Ropes* did – by example. There are so many lessons that are better off taught on the field and court while caring for athletes than one can learn from a classroom or textbook, and I adored sharing these lessons with my students, come rain or shine.

How does it feel to be inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame? What does this mean to you?

It is very surreal. I have looked up to National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame members for as long as I have been a member. Ropes* encouraged us to be members as students.

Is athletic training a promising field for new graduates? Why or why not?

Athletic Training is so much larger than it was when I graduated from Oregon State. Back then, all of us went into sports, collegiate and high school, with a few entering clinical work. Now, athletic trainers are at NASA and NASCAR, rodeo, industry, the military, preforming arts such as ballet, theater, film, concerts and more, and public safety, including police and fire departments. Athletic trainers are found in middle schools, hospitals, in operating rooms and long-term rehabilitation facilities – we are everywhere that active people want to keep up a level of activity. We are also in leadership – more athletic trainers are using their skillset to lead as athletic directors, upper administration in high schools, colleges and businesses. In short, the opportunities for younger athletic trainer are endless.