What began as an impromptu idea soon became an award-winning project. Last year, colleagues Pradeep Vanguri, Ph.D., from NSU’s Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, and Chris Lenker, ATC, from Tusculum College in Tennessee, began brainstorming ways to help raise awareness for National Athletic Training Month in March.
They created the “ATPodcast” series, featuring candid chats with certified athletic trainers of various backgrounds.
With their original goal in mind, Vanguri and Lenker set out to complete a marathon task: release a new episode every day during National Athletic Training Month. They not only succeeded, but “ATPodcast” earned an Honorable Mention in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) 2013 PR Award contest.
“The podcasts present a unique opportunity for us to connect with our colleagues on a different level,” said Vanguri, an associate professor and coordinator of athletic training at clinical site in the college. “I especially enjoyed speaking with our own [NATA] Hall of Fame members Larry Starr and Frank Walters.”
Dozens of episodes later, the series continues to spotlight the people behind the profession. The podcast has been downloaded more than 4,000 times, and demand continues to increase as more and more listeners discover the series.
“ATPodcast” episodes, ranging from 15 minutes to more than an hour, are available for free at www.atpodcast.net and on iTunes.