The Far West Athletic Trainers’ Association Public Relations Committee has announced the quarter winner of the Excellence in Athletic Training Award. Each quarter, the Excellence in Athletic Training Award celebrates District 8 athletic trainers or athletic training student members who display an exceptional commitment to mentoring, professional development, or enhancing the quality of health care.

This quarter’s winner is Jamie DeRollo, DAT, MBA, ATC.

DeRollo – who lives in Riverbank and is the athletic trainer at Modesto Junior College – holds several leadership committee positions within the athletic training profession, including Sports Representative Chair and Big 8 AT Representative at the California Community College Athletic Trainers’ Association (CCCATA), Parliamentarian at the California Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA), and Community College Chair at the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Intercollegiate Council for Sports Medicine, for which she has helped to create multiple documents to help athletic trainers return to campus safely within the current landscape.

DeRollo was a panelist in the Online Panel Series on COVID-19 “Part One: A Safe Return for Collegiate Athletes to Campus-Critical Areas of Preparation” as well as “Part Two: Resuming Sports Safely & Preparing for COVID-19 Recurrence.” DeRollo was also a panelist in the first-ever virtual NATA conference this year for the segment for Athletic Trainer (AT) Moms.

“My family, whom I lovingly call Hurricane DeRollo, helps me be a better person and allows me to live my passion,” said DeRollo.

Over the summer, DeRollo also volunteered in the US Navy Sea Cadet program, staffed their orientation, and was promoted to Ensign for the Modesto Division, in which two of her children participate currently. The promotion ceremony was hosted this fall at Escalon’s Hogan-Ennis Park.

Like many other athletic trainers, DeRollo saw herself in an adverse battle due to the national pandemic and sought temporary employment elsewhere to be able to provide healthcare. She became a COVID-19 screener at Frito-Lay as well as an industrial athletic trainer.

“I have the utmost respect for the Industrial AT and loved being able to use my clinical skills for the first time since the March shutdown,” said De Rollo.

She earned her Doctorate of Athletic Training at Temple University, her Master’s of Business Administration at South University, and is an alumna of the Athletic Training Program at California State University, Fresno.

“What an honor to be awarded the Excellence in Athletic Training Award during this time, which has been unprecedented and unique,” said DeRollo. “I love being able to be a mentor and offer my experiences to my students and young professionals on work-life balance.”

DeRollo was nominated by her predecessor, Bobby Boswell, Retired ATC from Modesto Junior College.

“Jamie’s work with students in the classroom and the student-athletes that she serves is a testament to her dedication and ongoing push for our profession to be better understood and appreciated. When I retired, she replaced my position and I couldn’t be happier, as I knew her dedication and drive would help continue the long history of educating and serving the Modesto students in the Athletic Training program,” said Boswell.