March 14, 2012
NORFOLK, VA--Marty Bradley, who has served as Head Athletic Trainer for the past 37 years at Old Dominion University and built one of the most respected athletic training programs in the country has been selected to receive an NATA (National Athletic Trainers' Association) Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. He will be recognized during the General Session at the 2012 Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposium in St. Louis on June 28th.
Bradley became ODU's first full-time athletic trainer in 1975. He started the graduate athletic training program at ODU in 1980 and served as its program director until 2000. During that time he built one of the finest graduate programs in the country. Bradley served as an instructor in the program, teaching academic classes to the athletic training students, and still serves as a clinical instructor in the Post Professional Graduate Athletic Training Education Program.Over the years, several of Bradley's students have gone on to become leaders at the NATA state, District and national levels.
Bradley also served his profession by being a member of the post certification graduate education Committee from 1997 -2002. He served as a member of the editorial board of the journal of Athletic Training from 1986 thru 1998. Bradley was a member of the editorial advisory group of the NATA news in 1997. In 1998 he was awarded the National Athletic Trainers Services Award.
Bradley has been a leader in his profession on the district and national level. He served as the secretary/treasurer of the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers Association from 1988-1991. He then was the NATA District III Director from 1991-1997. On the national level, Bradley served on the Board of Directors where he was a member of the Finance and Investment Committee for the NATA as well as being the board member liaison to the College and University Athletic Training Committee. He served As NATA Vice President in 1994-95.
Bradley is also an active member of his community and church organizations. He serves on the Old Dominion University Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. He has worked extensively with the medical staff at ODU to help develop policies, not only for athletics, but for the entire university. His dedication and service to the university make him one of the most respected staff members at ODU.Bradley is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1971 in physical education and received his Master's Degree at the University of Arizona in 1975 in athletic training.
Bradley and his wife of 38 years Johanna who is a pre-kindergarten teacher at Trinity Lutheran in Norfolk, have three children. Joshua is a graduate of West Point and a major in the U.S. Army, Jordan is in the financial industry in Manhattan and Sarah is a school counselor in the Richmond area.
In May of 2011 Bradley was inducted into the Mid Atlantic Athletic Trainers Association's District III Hall of Fame in Reston, VA.