Texas State Athletic Trainers Association press release
The Sul Ross State University athletic training apprenticeship program has been accepted into candidacy for endorsement by the Texas State Athletic Trainers Association (TSATA).
Sul Ross is one of three programs that have qualified to be candidates thus far. The University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas A&M-Kingsville are the other two programs seeking the endorsement.
"This is huge for our program and its future success," said
Billy Ray Laxton, Associate Athletic Director – Sport Medicine and Kinesiology Adjunct. "We are heading in the right direction to build a wonderful apprenticeship program and be a worldwide leader in undergraduate athletic training education."
State statute affords a sponsoring university to qualify undergraduate students to sit for the athletic training licensure exam in the state of Texas. The practice and education requirements are regulated by the Texas Department of Licensure and Registration (TDLR) and its advisory board.
Gaining the endorsement from the TSATA will enhance that effort to improve teaching and learning, communication with the TDLR, and raise the first-time pass rate for endorsed programs. It does not change the law.
Michael Stephens, Executive Director of the TSATA, said, "It was my hope when we started to develop this educational curriculum program for undergraduate apprenticeship in athletic training four years ago that universities like Sul Ross would be a gateway for young students to pursue this profession for their future knowing that every one of them has the opportunity to make their dream come true by preparing them completely for graduation and passage of their state license exam."
"We are in a great spot to achieve the endorsement," Laxton added. "We will start taking all the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) that are assigned and applying them to our program and hopefully finish the self-study portion of the endorsement within the school year or sooner."
For more on TSATA endorsement, visit https://www.tsata.com/apprenticeship-endorsement-program/.
