Joseph Koch, local certified athletic trainer, selected as winner of The Newell Award 2017 National Athletic Trainer of the Year

Joseph Koch, certified athletic trainer at Roxbury High School, was named The Newell Award 2017 National Athletic Trainer of the Year. After recently being named the regional nominee in partnership with Tri-County Orthopedics, Koch joined other regional nominees from across the nation to be considered for The Newell 2017 National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award. As the national recipient, Koch and Roxbury High School received a monetary award.

After reviewing several thousand shared experiences for all the regional nominees nationwide, The Newell Award National Committee determined Koch to be the most deserving of this achievement. “It was certainly not an easy decision to make with many talented and supported regional nominees, though his shared experiences were not only great in number but also displayed examples of his leadership and dedication to the local athletic community,” says Brooke Elliott, director of The Newell Award.

The Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award recognizes athletic trainers for the service and leadership they provide local athletic communities. In partnership with orthopaedic practices, one local athletic trainer from each participating region is identified as a regional nominee to be considered for The Newell National Athletic Trainer of the Year Award. Based on examples of service, leadership and shared experiences from community members, The Newell Award National Committee determines which nominee best exemplifies the values of the award's namesake, William E. Newell, the "Father of Athletic Training."

Koch, a long-time certified local athletic trainer for the community and Roxbury High School, received his bachelor of science degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick; he then went on to get his masters of science degree in education with a specialization in athletic training from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He has been extremely involved in the sports medicine community for the past 20 years, caring for injured athletes and educating future athletic trainers through his work.

“It is an incredible honor to be selected as The Newell Award 2017 National Athletic Trainer of the Year and be recognized for my passion in working with our local athletes,” says Koch. “I truly feel that the athletic training profession is such a special one in that I am able to interact with these talented athletes daily and assisting them with life’s challenges as well as their incredible victories; it creates a unique bond. The best part of my job is seeing my patients regain confidence and the ability to return to play better than before.”

For more information about The Newell Award or Tri-County Orthopedics, please visit www.TheNewellAward.com/Tri-CountyOrtho.

Click here to read more on this story from the Roxbury Register, TAPinto.net or The Daily Record.