FORM would like to congratulate Mission San Jose High School’s Athletic Trainer Patricia Cardenas for winning the Far West Athletic Trainers Association’s Excellence in Athletic Training Award. This award celebrates athletic trainers or athletic training student members in District 8 who, “display an exceptional commitment to mentoring, professional development or enhancing the quality of health care”.

In addition to her work at Mission High School, Patricia serves as the Director of Sports Medicine Outreach for Fremont Orthopeadic Rehabilitative Medicine, provides Athletic Training services to four Fremont area high schools, and provides service as a North Coast Section Athletic Trainer. Patricia also helped to develop the Mission San Jose High School Concussion Management Protocol, which not only put the high school in compliance with the new youth sports concussion safety law, AB2127, but also supported the safety of the Mission San Jose athletes.

Of winning the award, Patty says, “I am very humbled to have been selected for this honor. I would especially like to thank my mentor, Dave Stenger, for many years of advice and guidance. Thank you of course to FWATA for everything they do on behalf of this profession. I’d also like to express my appreciation to my friends and family who are so supportive of me and my crazy athletic trainer’s schedule, and have at times been put to work to help make heel and lace pads or inventorying rolls of tape!”

Congratulations to Patricia from all of us here at FORM!