Keynote Speaker

James L. Thornton, a highly respected, dedicated and experienced athletic trainer, is in his 27th year as head athletic trainer at Clarion University in 2016-17. A 2016 inductee into the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame, he received the D-II "Athletic Trainer of the Year" award from the NATA in June 2008 and is committed to the continual advancement of the profession of athletic training. Certified by the Athletic Training board of Certification, Thornton is a Performance Enhancement Specialist certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and has served as an education liaison and consultant to NASM for 13 years. Thornton has an extensive background of 33 years in athletic training and collegiate sports experience. He has helped develop performance enhancement programs at multiple universities with content being used at both the baccalaureate and masters degree levels.

Thornton was the President of the NATA from 2012 through 2015, a three-year term. Prior to his election as NATA President, he served the NATA as both Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors, serving as the Director of District II. Thornton continues to serve as the Athletic Training liaison to the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee since 1997. He is the contact person for all NCAA wrestling in regards to weight-class certification procedures and the rules regarding disposition of athletes with skin infections. Thornton was a graduate assistant athletic trainer at University Of The Pacific beginning in the Fall of 1987. He was awarded his Masters Degree in Sports Medicine at U.O.P. in 1989 and posted an outstanding 3.8 GPA. He was then hired by U.O.P. as Assistant Athletic Trainer in the Fall of 1989 and remained in that position until coming to Clarion in June of 1990.

A native of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, Thornton was a five-sport athlete at North Sanpete High and was graduated in 1977. From 1981-83 Thornton was the owner/manager of Jim's Restaurant in Mt. Pleasant before deciding to enroll at Utah State University. He served as a student athletic trainer for four years under Dale Mildenberger for football, wrestling, women's gymnastics, baseball, women's softball and track. He earned a B.S. Degree in Biology and Exercise Science in 1987 from Utah State.

Currently, Thornton is a member of the Clarion University faculty as well as an adjunct faculty member at California University of PA and Duquesne University. Jim and wife Bridget have daughters Mattison, Maci and Maya