DURANGO, Colo. — Fort Lewis College Head Athletic Trainer Wayne Barger was inducted into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers Association (RMATA) Hall of Fame Saturday night during the district symposium in Albuquerque, N.M.

“You are an inspiration to others in the field and you are well deserved of the Hall of Fame Award, the highest honor we bestow upon our distinguished members,” RMATA Hall of Fame Committee Chairperson Ron Meurer told Barger. “As an inductee, you join an esteemed group of professionals that have led and mentored our association.”

Barger became the 26th person to be inducted into the RMATA Hall of Fame, which began inducting individuals in 1990 to recognize members who have demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to the profession of athletic training.

“It is an extreme Honor to be included amongst a group of professionals that have shaped the athletic training profession and specifically the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers Association,” said Barger. “I only hope that I have held up my end of the bargain and the association can be proud!”

“Wayne has been a mainstay of this department for many years,” said FLC Director of Athletics Kelly Higgins. “I depend on him for much more than his abilities in the athletic training room, and it is only fitting that he be honored by his induction into the Hall of Fame. He has assisted thousands of student-athletes throughout his career and has helped create and build the athletic training academic program here at Fort Lewis. I'm proud to say I serve with him. His legacy continues with his work here at FLC and we hope that continues long into the future.”

Barger has served as head athletic trainer at Fort Lewis College since 1995. His experience in athletic training at national and international competitions assists Skyhawk student-athletes attain personal levels of success.

Through Barger's leadership and hard work, FLC's athletic training education program became a nationally accredited program by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Fort Lewis is one of just five colleges and universities in the state of Colorado to have an accredited athletic training education program.

Among his duties as head athletic trainer, Barger supervises as many as 15 athletic training students, instructs exercise science courses and serves on several college committees.

Barger came to Fort Lewis from the University of New Mexico, where he had been assistant head athletic trainer and curriculum instructor for 10 years.

He has extensive experience in athletic training at international and national sporting events. In 1996, he served as athletic trainer for the U.S. men's field hockey team at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga. He also served as athletic trainer for basketball and track & field at the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival in San Antonio, Texas, and for the U.S. junior national basketball team at a qualification tournament in Santa Rosa, Argentina, in 1994. In 1999, he served as the athletic trainer for the U.S. junior men's basketball team at the Junior World Championships in Lisbon, Portugal.

Barger graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and athletic training. He received his master's degree in physical education administration from UNM in 1984.

He and his wife of 25 years, Karen, have two grown sons, Chris and Matt. The couple owns Seasons Rotisserie Grill in Durango.