Episode 78: AJ Duffy III - How NATA Is Fighting for Athletic Trainers

How do you unite, advance, and advocate for an athletic training workforce facing burnout, salary discrepancies, and evolving institutional demands? For National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) President AJ Duffy III, the answer lies in proactive leadership, active listening, and building strategic partnerships across sports, military, and clinical settings.In this episode, recorded live from the 2026 NATA convention, Duffy joins hosts Andrew Rizza and Dr. Cameron Roth to reflect on a transformative year of leadership under new Executive Director Mollie Pillman and discuss NATA's newly unveiled strategic plan. He details major advocacy wins, including the massive expansion of athletic trainers in the U.S. Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program and the rapid legislative progress toward interstate licensure compacts.Duffy addresses pressing workforce issues like collegiate schedule shifts and gender pay equity. He also shares actionable advice for young professionals on mentorship, risk-taking, and why sometimes the best career move is simply talking to someone who has been there before.MEET THE GUESTAJ Duffy IIIPresident, National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) TOPICS DISCUSSEDExecuting NATA's strategic plan under new leadershipClosing pay gaps through the salary survey and gender equity task forceExpanding athletic training roles in the Army's H2F programAdvancing interstate licensure compacts for workforce mobilityWhy athletic trainers need to strengthen their visibilityMentorship, risk-taking, and advice for the next generationHIGHLIGHTS00:00 – Introduction to AJ Duffy III00:53 – Looking Back on the Last 12 Months of NATA02:42 – Listening to Athletic Trainers and Addressing Workforce Issues 04:20 – Sponsor: Beck Bode04:47 – Fast-Tracking Change on Workforce and Salary Issues07:43 – The Impact of Athletic Trainers in the Army's H2F Initiative09:45 – Opportunities for Athletic Trainers in the Coming Years11:18 – A Major Advocacy Win: Interstate Licensure Compacts14:50 – NATA's Focus for the Next 12 - 36 Months17:37 – Career Advice for Students: Mentorship, Networking & Taking Risks26:26 – Lightning Round: Active Listening, Future Outlook & Favorite CitiesQUOTES:09:18 - “I was at the H2F meeting in Hampton, Virginia in May and I met the two generals that are overseeing H2F, and they said, ‘Keep those Athletic trainers coming.’ So we went from potentially losing 180 positions; they want 700 more. That’s just one example of what we can do with a unified voice.”19:26 - “I consistently tell students, I say, ‘Please reach out to us.’ I may have used this phrase last year, but I love using it. I say, ‘We outlawed the horseshoe tackle in football, but it's okay to horseshoe tackle the president of the NATA at meetings like this to have time.”LINKS AJ Duffy III - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-duffy-iii-8aa01b6/ NATA - https://www.nata.org/ RELATED EPISODESLeadership, Legacy, and What’s Next For Athletic Training - https://youtu.be/GqvFm25aYGwSPONSORSBeck Bode is a fee-only fiduciary firm that builds personalized roadmaps to keep your money aligned with your life goals. See what real planning looks like at https://beckbode.comDISCLAIMER The opinions presented on Behind the Sports Medicine are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any affiliated institutions or partners. The content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a licensed medical professional before making any health or treatment decisions. Behind the Sports Medicine and its affiliates assume no liability for the accuracy or application of the information discussed.#AthleticTraining #NATA2026 #AthleticTrainers #H2FProgram #LicensurePortability