RBR Athletic Trainer and Student Protégée Both Honored at ATSNJ Awards’ Banquet

           Red Bank Regional’s (RBR) athletic trainer, Christina Emrich of Tinton Falls, was recently honored with the Athletic Trainers’ Society of New Jersey (ATSNJ)’s Distinguished Service Award at their annual banquet on March 2 in West Windsor, NJ.  Making her evening extra special, was the further recognition bestowed upon her student athletic trainer, Caitlin Brinkman of Little Silver. Ms. Brinkman received the organization’s Vito Recine High School Scholarship.

            Christina Emrich commented, “It was an absolutely amazing feeling to be able to share the evening with Caitlin. I was so excited that she won the scholarship because it is a testament to all of her hard work and being able to bounce back after suffering a bad injury in her own sports play. As I stood before everyone that evening, I also felt a sense of accomplishment in the fact that I was able to help influence her into a future career, as well as my former student John Merris who was also in attendance that evening. You never realize how you will impact someone's life for their future. My mentor John Davis impacted my life in teaching me about athletic training and life in general, and now I was able to pay it forward to my kids. It was such a rewarding feeling to be honored along with her.”

            Ms. Emrich was conferred with this award for her outstanding service to ATSNJ and her profession. Over the past 22 years, Christina Emrich has served as a dedicated athletic trainer in New Jersey and has held numerous positions within the ATSNJ including Central Region Representative; she currently serves on the Crisis, Public Relations and Secondary School committees and as the organization’s treasurer. Christina Emrich is the Shore Conference Division Committee Representative, a NJSIAA wresting weight assessor and an emergency medical technician for both the Little Silver and Tinton Falls EMS. This June, she will serve as the Medical Manager for the USA Special Olympics which, this year, is hosted by New Jersey for the nation.

            Caitie Brinkman is a student in RBR’s Academy of Sports Medicine & Management of which Christina Emrich is the lead teacher.  As a member of the student athletic trainer program, Caitie and her peers have assisted the athletic trainer with all her duties at the high school’s athletic practices and competitions for all three sports seasons. The students are CPR and First Aid certified.  Caitie was selected for the scholarship for her exemplary service and her desire to pursue a career in athletic training with acceptance to a CAATE (Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education) accredited college. She will be attending the University of Delaware in the fall.