Mr. Robson has served as Grant Community High School’s athletic trainer for the past 10 years and has been a
full-time staff member since 2009. Prior to coming to Grant, Mark worked as the athletic trainer at Mundelein High School. Mr. Robson has spent 20 of his 24 years of experience working for a hospital based Sports Medicine clinic, where he worked alongside physical therapists treating and rehabilitating athletes, as well as providing outreach high school athletic trainer coverage. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), and is licensed in the State of Illinois. Currently, he holds memberships with the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association (GLATA) and the Illinois Athletic Trainers’ Association (IATA). Mark received his BS degree in athletic training from Western Illilnois University in 1985. Mark and his wife Claire have two children, 17 year old daughter Elyse, and 15 year old son Kyle.

What is an Athletic Trainer?

Athletic trainers are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to optimize patient and client activity and participation in athletics, work and life. The practice of athletic training encompasses the prevention, examination, treatment, and rehabilitation of emergent, acute, subacute, and chronic neuromusculoskeletal conditions and certain medical conditions in order to minimize subsequent impairments, functional limitations, disability, and societal limitations. The profession of athletic training is recognized by The American Medical Association.
Athletic trainers’ work settings can include high schools, colleges, universities,professional sports teams, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, physicians’ offices,corporate and industrial institutions, the military, and the performing arts. Regardless of their practice setting, athletic trainers practice athletic training (or
provide athletic training services) according to their education and state practice act.

Since the founding of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) in 1950, the role and skills of the athletic trainer have advanced dramatically. The increased emphasis on formal education and the implementation of a national certification exam have increased the standard of athletic trainers in the medical and health communities.

State Licensure

Effective January 1, 1996, Illinois passed Public Law 89-216 stating that a "Licensed Athletic Trainer" means a person licensed to practice athletic training as defined in 225 ILCS 5/3 Chapter III, paragraph 7603 section 3(4). In accordance with the Licensure Law, no person may represent him or herself as an "athletic trainer" or "certified athletic trainer" or use the letters "ATC" unless licensed by the State of Illinois Department of Regulation. Prior to 1996, Athletic Trainers in the State of Illinois were registered professionals by the Department of Professional Regulation, since 1986.
Certified athletic trainers must fulfill a continuing education requirement for certification maintenance, and currently needs 75 hours of continuing education credit every three years. The Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act also has a continuing education requirement.