Jason Cates, ATC, LAT

Head Athletic Trainer, Cabot Public Schools

Jason Cates has been the head athletic trainer at Cabot Public Schools in Cabot, Arkansas since July, 2011.  He has been very active in athletic health care for secondary schools at the state, district, and national levels since 1996. Jason has served on several committees on all three levels and is the current Past-President of the Arkansas Athletic Trainers’ Association.  He serves on The Arkansas Activities Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, which adopted pre-season acclimatization and practice guidelines in accordance with the Korey Stringer Institute in 2012.

Jason, along with other Arkansas athletic trainers and key “stakeholders,” worked with a Legislative Task force to study athletic health care concerns in the state of Arkansas’ secondary schools. The Legislative Task Force was successful in passing a comprehensive Athletic Health Care Bill (H.B. 1214) in 2011 which addresses Exertional Heat Illness, Athletic Concussions, Communicable Diseases, and Emergency Action Plans for Athletics. Additionally, the bill mandates coach, parent, and athlete education on each of these issues.

Jason was recognized as the Arkansas Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2008 and received the NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award in 2012.  Jason received his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with emphasis in Athletic Training from Arkansas State University.