AT SPOTLIGHT
Brad Swope
Years Certified: 35 years
Current Position: Associate Head Athletic Trainer at Tennessee State University working primarily with Men’s Basketball
Why Athletic Training: “Arriving at Miami University, the REAL Miami in Oxford, OH, my plan was to be a pre-med major and attend Medical School. I was told to investigate a program on campus which could be a great stepping stone while studying as an undergraduate. The thing was to be a student in the Sports Medicine Program and I fell in love. It allowed me to practice a level of medicine and be around the athletes on a daily basis. Now you can say, ‘The rest is History!’”
Favorite Aspect of Athletic Training: “When you love what you do, as I do, you don’t have a job and you will never work a day in your life!!”
Education: Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, Good Samaritan Hospital Paramedic Education Center, Dayton, OH, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. Brad is currently working on his Masters Degree in Sport Administration from Tennessee State University. Honors and Awards: TATS Clinical Athletic Trainer of the Year 1997, Sumner University Graduate 2004, NATA 25 Year Award 2005, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Colonel’s Award 2008, Leadership Sumner Graduate 2009, NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award 2016, and TATS Hall of Fame 2019.
Mentors: Scott Swope, DO, Richard Chenault, Fire Chief, Ken Wolfert, ATC, Nick Pappas, ATC, Larry Starr, ATC, Gale Newton, ATC, Pat Troesch, ATC, Bruce James and John Miller.
Journey to Becoming an Athletic Trainer
Brad’s career in sports medicine began long before there was a sub speciality in sports at his father’s clinic. His father is a physician, and for most of his career, his clinic was Family Practice and, in a way Sports Medicine as he took care of all the athletes at the local high school.
His father also worked for the volunteer fire department and helped to create an ambulance service for them, training both the firefighters and their wives to be able to respond to emergency situations. “Most everything my father did intrigued me and I was tagging along with him often. Whether it was going to fires, EMS calls, or delivering babies at the hospital, if Dad was going, I was going too,” remembers Brad. Because of this, after high school, Brad completed the requirements and joined the fire department. By the time he graduated from college, he was a paramedic, and worked as one while also working full time as an athletic trainer.
As a full time athletic trainer out of college, Brad worked for his dad at his practice. Once he started providing coverage to the local high schools, the practice expanded to officially include Sports Medicine. Eventually, the practice was sold and that is what brought Brad to Nashville, Tennessee.
As the picture to the right shows, Brad spent time working with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. When asked about his time with them, this is what he said: “First, let me say, what an honor and privilege it is to be associated with such a first class department. You will find no better people anywhere around the world.”
For Brad, this journey began when he was asked to meet with the THP Captain that was directing the training academy. Brad explains the process, “Within this facility all Tennessee Troopers are trained over the course of 22 weeks. Following graduation they report to their assigned district to begin several weeks of field training with another Trooper. Eventually they move onto the road by themself. All Troopers are required a certain number of training hours each year and the majority of those are obtained through this facility.” Unfortunately the plan for full time access to an athletic trainer at this facility never came to fruition.
Brad has also spent time in the more “traditional realm” of athletic training. He has worked at high schools in the area and helped develop athletic training programs with Sumner Regional Medical Center, worked at Station Camp High School, as well as become a HOSA Instructor at Mt. Juliet High School. He now serves as an athletic trainer at Tennessee State University to the Men’s Basketball team.
Most Memorable Moments
As an athletic trainer of 35 years, there are plenty of moments that Brad will never forget, but one of the most memorable moments he says was being inducted to the TATS Hall of Fame just this past January. Brad recalls of the award, “What a humbling experience to stand in front of your peers and feel the rush of emotions as you are recognized for doing a job you love.”
Brad has been given the opportunity throughout his career to be able to travel to different parts of the world with different athletic teams and each of those experiences hold unique memories. Through all of his clinical sites and travel, one thing remains the same. Brad’s most memorable moments in the athletic training profession will always be the chance to be a part of each athlete’s life and to be able to help them grow in both their sport and their lives outside of athletics. Being with and supporting an athlete through some of their lowest points after injury and then to watch them succeed is a part of the job that Brad will never forget.
Life Outside of Athletic Training
Brad and his wide answered a call to missions to serve Athletes in Action. For those of you who have never heard of this, Athletes in Action is “a division of Cru Ministries using the platform of sport to share the Gospel.” Brad and his wife Jana say they “felt called to join Athletes in Action and work in the mission field.” He describes his role in AIA below:
My position within AIA would be an athletic trainer with Sports Performance which consists of athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches. What could an athletic trainer possibly do in missions? AIA consists of teams that work on campus, in Xenia, OH, as well as travel the world to teach their sport and share the Gospel. Teams include basketball, wrestling, football, baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track, and volleyball. These athletes require healthcare while on campus and traveling, therefore, athletic trainers have a position on campus. They also provide coverage for the many events happening on campus including camps, tournaments, team building, and other events. We pursued our calling for two and a half years but were unsuccessful at raising our support.
Brad is still affiliated with AIA and encourages everyone to look at our national meetings for AIA booths and obtain information on the program if this is something they are interested in.
Now, outside of Tennessee State University, Brad is one of the representatives of the Tennessee branch of AT’s Care. (If you don’t know what that is here is the link)
Brad enjoys traveling with his wife, Jana, and their family. He also loves to golf and grill out in his spare time.
Interesting Facts
Some things that you may not know about Brad:
15 years of service to Clearcreek Township in Springboro, OH as a firefighter/Paramedic
7 years of service to Kings Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati, OH as a firefighter/Paramedic
8 years of service to the Tennessee Highway Patrol as an athletic trainer
He provides athletic training services to Vince Gill’s Celebrity Golf Tournament and has been since its inception
Served as an athletic trainer to USA Roller Sports during the National and World Championships. He was able to travel to Spain, Australia, Switzerland and South Africa with USA Roller Sports.
Has officiated basketball in Middle Tennessee for 20+ years!
Impact on the Community
“Brad has been a pioneer in 2 key areas during his last 20 plus years in Tennessee. His work with the Highway Patrol and their recruits has exposed hundreds of Trooper cadets to the profession of athletic training. The nature of state trooper training is very physically demanding. This program is more like the old 2-3 times daily practices of college football. Naturally injuries happen with the rigorous demands the male and female cadets put on their bodies. Thanks to Brad’s help many of the cadets in the law enforcement training program were continue training and not have to drop out.
The second area where Brad has a tremendous influence is with the AT Cares program. He started this peer to peer critical incident review program years before AT Cares was begun by the NATA. Brad is the go to person with AT Cares in Tennessee. Every athletic trainers who has had a critical incident can take advantage of this free program. Brad’s willingness to travel and volunteer his time to help with his colleagues is just one of the many ways he gives back to his profession.”
“I first met Brad at Volunteer State Community College in 2004, He was the instructor for one of the classes that I was taking and he was the Head Athletic trainer at Volunteer State Community College. At first I really admired Brad’s knowledge of Sports Medicine and the way he was able to help athletes who were injured, this greatly appealed to me as a young student. Brad Swope is without a doubt the reason that I am an Athletic Trainer today. Getting to know Brad over the years has been an amazing journey, his dedication to the field of Sports Medicine and his compassion for athletes is unmatched. He is always willing to help no matter what the situation is. Brad is the type of Athletic Trainer that makes those around him better by the way he performs. He is constantly challenging himself as well as other Athletic Trainers to grow and develop within the profession. It has been a pleasure getting to know Brad and work with him over the years”
“Brad has never met a stranger. His whimsical personality, thoughtfulness and consideration for individuals he provides care for are like they are part of his family. His community is his family.”
“Brad Swope has made a lasting impact during his career as an Athletic Trainer in Nashville and the surrounding area. Brad is 100% dedicated and committed to all the athletes and patients he encounters. He meets the needs of those he cares for on truly a human level. Brad is the quintessential volunteer and does not know a stranger. Baptist Sports Medicine, BodyGuard Sports Medicine, Station Camp High School, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Athletes in Action, and now Tennessee State University are lucky to have Brad as a part of their team. ”