Two Local Athletic Trainers Selected to Compete for Regional Nomination for The 2019 – 2020 Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award

Athletic trainers Leah Chandley of Marist School and Ryan Hart of The Mount Vernon School have a chance to become the athletic trainer selected as the Regional Nominee for The 2019 – 2020 Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award. The athletic trainer selected as the Regional Nominee will advance on to join other Regional Nominees from across the nation to be considered for the National Award. The Regional Nominee will be announced in the coming weeks.

In partnership with local leading orthopedic practices, such as The Hand & Upper Extremity Center of Georgia in Atlanta, Alpharetta and Cumming, The 2019 – 2020 Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award recognizes athletic trainers for the service and leadership they provide to local athletic communities. Nominations for the National Award are based on examples of service, leadership and shared experiences from community members, and nominees are determined regionally. 

As an assistant athletic trainer for Marist School, Chandley is responsible for prevention, evaluation and rehabilitation for all athletic teams, grades 7 to 12. She not only invests in student-athletes on the field but also in the classroom by teaching an introductory sports medicine class. Prior to joining Marist, Chandley was a graduate assistant athletic trainer at the University of Georgia, where she worked with the track and field/cross-country team, women's soccer and the swimming and diving program. Chandley received her undergraduate degree in athletic training from Georgia College.

Hart, who serves as the director of sports medicine for The Mount Vernon School, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. Upon graduation, he obtained a post-orthopedic surgical rehabilitation internship as well as a clinical and surgical fellowship at Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Jackson. 

“We feel very fortunate to work with such incredible medical professionals,” says Dr. Bryce Gillespie, fellowship-trained orthopedic hand, wrist, elbow and nerve surgeon at The Hand & Upper Extremity Center of Georgia. “And we feel honored to acknowledge their efforts by partnering with The Newell Award to recognize the region’s — and potentially, the nation’s — top athletic trainers for the service and leadership they display while treating our community’s athletes.”

Visit TheNewellAward.com/HandCenterGA to learn more about The Newell Award.