Sam '82 and Linda-Lee Troiani '83 Niedbala ... - Asoundstrategy

Fall 2006 Warrior Spotlight
‘We have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of graduates working in athletic
training. And they are just not average professionals; many are leaders in the field.’
John Thatcher ’69, M’70,
distinguished professor of athletic training
so therefore if you can provide them
with adequate advice, the right kind
of treatment and give them the
psychological support they need,
there is a very close relationship that
develops.”
The first ESU athletic trainers
in the approved curriculum, four of
them, graduated in 1975.
“By 1980, we had more than a
dozen graduates each year and now
our program has about 100 students
with around 25 in our graduating
classes,” Thatcher explained. “More
than half our graduates have earned
advanced degrees within a year of
graduating and some have gone on
to earn doctorates.”
The graduates all have one thing
in common, Hauth emphasizes.
“Look at the great people who came
out of our program. Whether they
are now educators, researchers, sports
medicine clinicians or high school,
college or professional trainers, John
Thatcher taught and prepared them
all; he certainly played a large part in
their future successes,” Hauth said.
In retirement, the Thatchers,
John and the former Pam Jennings
’70, his wife of 34 years, moved to
Dundee, N.Y. in the Finger Lakes
region where they own a house.
“I had no apprehensions about
retiring,” he states. “Pam (an elementary
teacher in the East Stroudsburg
school district for 22 years) and
I are both very active; we’re not at a
loss for things to do. I’ll miss teaching
very, very much, however. I love
what I did.
“I always thought this was the
way to retire. Going out when the
students were still saying, ‘Hey, why
are you leaving? Instead of ‘Thank
God that old guy is getting out of
here.’ My wife is in the same place
- the kids and colleagues saying, ‘Oh
my gosh, we’re going to miss you so
much; you were such a good teacher.’
Those are the things you want
said about you; go out on the top of
your game.”
And Thatcher was at the top
of his game as an East Stroudsburg
athletic training educator for more
than three decades. His successor,
John Hauth, and hundreds of other
graduates can attest to that. With
their letters, many already have.
37
At left, John Thatcher
’69, M’70, distinguished
professor of athletic
training, works with
Flo Batten, a graduate
assistant in the Athletic
Training Department, and
student Brad Treadway
on techniques to assist
soccer player Charlene
Conklin.
Photo by
Perry Hebard