Fifteen athletic training and exercise science students from Colby-Sawyer College, a comprehensive college that integrates the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation, presented their Capstone research at the 2015 New Hampshire Athletic Trainers' (NHATA) Student Symposium hosted on April 19 at Plymouth State University. Students also competed in the symposium's Quiz Bowl; John Laviolette '16 and Daniel Murphy '15 placed first while Madison Hamilton '17 and Emily LeBlanc '17 placed second.

The NHATA Student Symposium fosters interaction for the athletic training education programs of New Hampshire. Students from Keene State College, Plymouth State University and the University of New Hampshire presented and competed alongside Colby-Sawyer students. This was Colby-Sawyer's ninth year attending the NHATA Student Symposium; the college hosted the symposium in 2007 and 2011 and will do so again in 2016.

Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sport Sciences Theodore Smith accompanied his students to the conference. “The NHATA Student Symposium provides the rare opportunity for the presentation of undergraduate research,” says Professor Smith. “For the presenting Colby-Sawyer students it helps to enhance their understanding of the importance of the Capstone process and for our underclassmen it serves as a spark to starting the process of developing topics for their own Capstone.”

For the first time, NHATA allowed both Colby-Sawyer athletic training students and exercise science students to present their senior Capstone research this year. Previously, athletic training students who had collaborated with exercise science majors on their research attended the conference on behalf of their partners.

Athletic training majors Jacqueline Keating of Marshfield, Mass., and Stephanie Vecchio of Shelter Island, N.Y., paired with exercise science majors Kaylyn Mitchell of North Reading, Mass., and Brittany Venuti of Foxborough, Mass., to present “The Relationship Between Core Stability and Balance.” Keating, Mitchell and Venuti received the Capstone Award for their research. Keating and Vecchio were both stand-out players on Colby-Sawyer's volleyball team.

Athletic training majors Daniel Murphy of Middletown, R.I., and Timothy O'Connor of Bethel, Maine, paired with exercise science majors Nichole Danehy of Billerica, Mass., and Alyssia Janak of Bourne, Mass., to present “Effects of Aquatic Based Versus Land Based Plyometric Training on Muscle Soreness, Muscle Strength and Range of Motion.” All four students participated in Colby-Sawyer athletics: Murphy played soccer; O'Connor played baseball; Danehy played lacrosse and field hockey; and Janak played lacrosse. O'Connor also received the Athletic Training Baccalaureate Award.

Athletic training majors Meghan Clark of Wilmington, Mass., Matthew Hunt of Milton, Mass., and Sean McGee of Lebanon, Conn., presented “Factors Affecting Landing Mechanics.” Hunt was a member of Colby-Sawyer's Track and Field team and was a 2014 Orientation Leader.

In addition to the students who presented Capstone research, Zachary Kershaw '16, an athletic training major from Springfield, N.H., presented with Springfield College student Brandon Hammerstrom on their experience attending the iLead conference held in Dallas in February. Designed to foster leadership in athletic training students, the iLead conference is an event sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers' Association in conjunction with the Athletic Training Educators' Conference. Kershaw, who has interned with the football teams at Boston College and Dartmouth College, served as student representative for the Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association.