Rochester Receives Athletic Trainer Award

Julie Rochester (HPER, pictured center) is the recipient of the 2005 Michigan Athletic Trainers’ Society Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. She was honored recently at the 14th Annual Michigan Athletic Trainers Society Educational Conference in East Lansing.

Rochester first came to NMU in 1990 as an athletic trainer and coordinator of student development in the athletic training non-degree program. In 1999, she transferred to the health, physical education and recreation department. She was responsible for planning, implementing and directing the new baccalaureate program.

She also implemented the injury and evaluation care clinic that opened at the PEIF last fall. She helps supervise athletic training students who evaluate and assess patients with musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains, strains and contusions, and also provide primary injury treatment, home exercise care plans, athletic taping and bracing, and information on physician care and physical therapy services related to sports injuries.

“It was mostly the educational aspect that drew me to the athletic training field, which was why I made the shift from the athletics department to the HPER department,” said Rochester. “I enjoy working closely with students and teaching them what they need to know to go out there and get good jobs in the field. I was pretty surprised when I learned that I’d be receiving this award because I know people who’ve received it in the past and never considered myself to be at their level. But I’m very excited, and it’s a great honor to represent NMU for this award.”

Rochester has teaching experience in about nine health promotion/athletic training courses at NMU and has been actively involved in the campus visit program, the student leader fellowship program, and the student athletic training organization. She also works with Peninsula Partnerships for Safety, and “SAFE KIDS” of Marquette and Alger county.