Local athletic trainer, Eric Freas of Coconino High School, named regional nominee for The 2017 – 2018 Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award
Eric Freas, MEd, ATC, LAT, certified athletic trainer at Coconino High School, has been named the regional nominee for The Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award. As the regional nominee, Freas will advance on to join other regional nominees from across the nation to be considered The 2017 – 2018 Newell Award National Athletic Trainer of the Year, which will be announced later this month.
In partnership with local expert orthopaedic practices, such as Flagstaff Bone & Joint in Flagstaff, Kingman and Cottonwood, The 2017 – 2018 Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award recognizes athletic trainers for the service and leadership they provide local athletic communities. Based on examples of service, leadership and shared experiences from community members, nominees for The Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award are determined regionally. Over a hundred exceptional shared experiences from community members were received in support of Freas’ regional nomination for the National Award.
“The outpouring of support from community members on Mr. Freas’ behalf has been tremendous and certainly well-deserved,” says Dr. Torey Botti, sports medicine surgeon at Flagstaff Bone & Joint. “We feel honored to acknowledge his efforts by partnering with The Newell Award to recognize the region’s top athletic trainers for the service and leadership they display while treating our community’s athletes.”
Freas, a long-time certified local athletic trainer for the community and Coconino High School, received his undergraduate degree in physical education with an emphasis in athletic training from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, where he later completed his graduate studies in educational leadership. He has been extremely involved in the local sports medicine community, caring for injured athletes and educating future athletic trainers through his work, and serves as Coconino High School’s head athletic trainer and athletic director in addition to serving as a chairman on the State of Arizona Board of Athletic Training.
To learn more about The Newell Award, visit www.TheNewellAward.com/FlagstaffBoneAndJoint.