FAIRMONT —
Bob Cable is a special individual.
A man who works countless hours a week as Fairmont State University’s head athletic trainer helping to keep the Falcons’ 300-plus athletes in 15 different sports healthy and competing at a high level.
At times his job is a thankless one.
This, however, isn’t one of those times.
Cable was recently selected to receive the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s 2010 Division II Head Athletic Trainer of the Year Award.
This prestigious honor recognizes the outstanding efforts of a certified athletic trainer employed in the collegiate setting at a Division II university. NATA’s College/University Athletic Trainers’ Committee (CUATC) selects a winner based on active community and campus involvement; volunteer service; national, district and state athletic training association participation; promotion of the profession; and exceptional performance in the role of collegiate athletic trainer.
“Bob is richly deserving of the award,” said NATA College/University Athletic Trainers’ Committee Chair Charlie Thompson, MS, ATC. “He has dedicated his career to providing quality health care services to collegiate athletes and has worked tirelessly toward the betterment of the athletic training profession.”
The ever-humble Cable, who has been an athletic trainer for 30 years, including the last 20 at FSU, says he is honored to receive the award, but certainly didn’t expect it.
“This is something you never really think about. I mean the idea of me winning this award never crossed my mind and now that I have received it I’m not sure right now if it has even sunk in for me yet,” said Cable. “I feel very fortunate to be an athletic trainer and to work at a university like Fairmont State. I’ve never tried to receive any national recognition for my work. I just try to do my job to the best of my abilities.”
Cable’s hard work and dedication as the Falcons’ head athletic trainer has directly impacted the lives of countless student-athletes over the course of the last 20 years at FSU. That’s why a number of former Fairmont State student-athletes are thrilled to see Cable being honored at the national level for his work.
“Bob is the consummate professional,” said former standout FSU football player Jason Short, who starred for the Falcons in the mid-1990s. “He runs a tight ship and always does things the right way. He errors on the side of safety for the players and there’s something to be said for having integrity in your job. Bob Cable certainly has integrity in his job. And, not only is he a great athletic trainer, he’s a great person. He’s a guy that we all knew as student-athletes we could go and talk to about anything and he would listen and offer his advice.
“Heck, to this day when we all come back for homecoming or springcoming one of the very first places we go is to Bob’s office in the Feaster Center to see him and talk to him. It’s like going to the local barber shop because it’s the place where you can get all of the information about all of the athletic programs.
“When I was in school Bob had that tiny training room and somehow he managed to take care of all of us in it. Now he has a much bigger, state-of-the-art training room and he’s very proud of it and should be. He’s really developed the training program at FSU into something special. He’s a great individual and I’m just very,very happy to see him being honored for all of the hard work he does.”
Former Fairmont State women’s basketball standout Kara (Morris) Adkins agrees.
“As a college athlete I had no concept of the hours Bob Cable devoted to Fairmont State,” she said. “As a working adult I know now that man works harder than anyone at that school. I’m thrilled to hear he is being recognized for his hard work as an athletic trainer and his dedication to each sport and each athlete at FSU. No one could deserve an honor like this more than Bob Cable.”
The 54-year-old Cable, who regularly works 90 or more hours per week during the school year, obviously loves his job. He says he enjoys the challenges of being an athletic trainer, but really loves watching FSU’s student-athletes grow and excel in their given sports and eventually in life itself.
“So many of the athletes here have become part of my extended family,” said Cable. “At the time it’s happening you may not really realize it, but sitting back and thinking about things I’ve been very fortunate to have witnessed so many of our kids do some great things in both sports here at Fairmont State and then go on and do some great things in their lives. That’s really special to me.
“I remember Kara Morris scoring her 1,500th point and Mookie (Ashley Reed) hitting a national record 16 3-pointers in one game. I also remember Kristen Gattuso becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball and watching our football teams and men’s and women’s basketball teams win conference championships and advance to the NCAA Division II Tournaments. And watching Robert Moore become one of school’s top 10 scorers in men’s basketball and Robert Davidson rush for what was then a national record 403 yards in a single game. Those are just a few of the many special moments I’ve been able to witness here at Fairmont State the last 20 years.”
Current FSU athletic director Rusty Elliott has worked with Cable during his entire career at the school both as a coach and administrator and says no one is more deserving of this prestigious honor.
“On behalf of the entire athletic department and all of the student-athletes Bob has worked with over the years, we are so proud for Bob to be recognized at the highest level for his work here at Fairmont State,” said Elliott. “Anyone who has been associated with our athletic department for the last two decades knows of his efforts and contributions and understands what a tremendous asset he is for Fairmont State University.”
The CUATC awards presentation will be made June 24, 2010, at NATA’s 61st Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposia in Philadelphia.
