Suffolk's Jeff Stone To Be Inducted to NATA Hall of Fame

Jeff Stone, the Head Athletic Trainer at Suffolk University in Boston, has been selected for induction into The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Hall of Fame. The award is the associations and the profession’s highest honor for athletic trainers who exemplify the mission of the NATA through significant, lasting contributions that enhance the quality of health care provided by athletic trainers.

The induction ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 28, 2012, in conjunction with the 63rd Annual NATA Meeting and Clinical Symposium, to be held in St. Louis, MO. from June 26-29, 2012.

Stone was hired at Suffolk University in 2004, and since then has seen his list of awards and recognition grow for his work throughout his 36-year career as an athletic trainer.

In 2011, Stone was inducted into the Athletic Trainers of Massachusetts (ATOM) Hall of Fame becoming the fourteenth inductee into the organization's prestigious class. Stone has been a member of ATOM since its’ inception in 1981. He was President from 1994-1996, Secretary from 1989-1992 and served on ATOM’s Executive Board for 10 years.  He was the ATOM Athletic Trainer of the Year in 1992, and was awarded the Kerkor “Koko” Kassabian Service Award (for meritorious service to the Athletic Training profession in Massachusetts) in 2009. During his tenure, he was also the Association’s Newsletter Editor.

Stone was also named as one of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s 2011 Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer (MDAT) award recipients in May. This award recognizes outstanding dedication and service to the athletic training profession. Candidates for the award must have held the certified athletic trainer (ATC) credential, conferred by the Board of Certification, for at least 20 years; have been recognized for service to the profession of athletic training at the local, state, national and/or international level; exhibited distinguished service as a certified athletic trainer; and have been recognized for unique contributions to the profession of athletic training not acknowledged elsewhere.

Earlier this year in January, Stone was the recipient of the Cramer Award for outstanding service and dedication to the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association (EATA).

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) has honored Stone on two occassions with their Athletic Trainer of the Year award. Stone has been the only multiple recipient from the conference earning awards in the 2008 and 2011 seasons.

Jeff Stone is one of the first graduates of Northeastern University’s Athletic Training Education Program, having graduated in 1976. Outside of his work at Suffolk University, Stone serves as the Medical Coordinator for the Massachusetts Bay State Games. Stone has worked as an athletic trainer at Ashland High School, Framingham State College, Natick High School, Marian High School, and the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.

Stone, a resident of Ashland, recently completed his six-year tenure as Director of District One- New England, representing over 2000 athletic trainers and athletic training students in New England. He also served as the region’s representative to the Board of Directors of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) from 2004-2010.

The NATA Hall of Fame was established in 1962. This year’s 50th Anniversary Class numbers 17 athletic trainers. Stone is one of only 32 New England athletic trainers to ever be inducted, and the 16th from Massachusetts to be so honored since the Hall of Fame was established in 1962.

(Photo courtesy of Dan McHugh Photography)