Michael Gerlach has over 20 years of allied healthcare experience as a certified athletic trainer. Entering the profession in 1992 via the Internship route of 1500 volunteer hours and passing the NATA written and practical exam while working full time as a Physical Therapy Tech. The first and only one in his family to go to college, he received a bachelor of science degree in sports and fitness administration from Freed Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee and a Master’s in Physical Education from Middle Tennessee State University. He currently is employed by Metro Nashville Public Schools at Cane Ridge High School as a health Science Academy Instructor. An active TATS member since 1992, he volunteered in some capacity at the annual meetings, served as a public relations committee member, scholarship committee member, and recently as the Public Relations Committee Chair.
Over the years, his career path has taken him several seen and unforeseen avenues that allowed him to experience nearly every work setting the professional has to offer…University Head Athletic Trainer, High School Outreach, Club, Clinic, Corporate, Event, and Physican Extender.
His professional; achievements include receiving the 1996 Joe Worden Clinical Athletic Trainer of the year Award, 2006 NATA commercial Video Production of the Year Award, and a Contribution in the Leadership Challenge publication… titled “Encouraging the Heart”.
Career highlights include: Being the only head athletic trainer to work at Belmont and Lipscomb Universities …. experiencing countless Belmont-Lipscomb Battle of the Boulevard basketball games, … having a student athlete struck by lighting and surviving … witnessing several athletic training students to go on to successful contributions to the profession.
However, he is quick to point out his greatest accomplishment is his beautiful wife Melissa of 23 years, son Dalton, freshmen at UTC and his daughter, Madeline a junior at bentwood high school.