Furman University Director of Athletics Jason Donnelly announced in April of 2022 that Craig Clark, ATC, SCAT, had been named Furman’s new Associate Athletics Director for Sports Medicine and Performance.
Clark, a member of Furman’s sports medicine staff since 2009, succeeded Elaine Baker, who retired as head of Paladin sports medicine at the end of February following 39 years of service to Furman Athletics.
“Furman Athletics is proud to announce that Craig Clark has been elevated to associate athletics director for sports medicine and performance,” said Donnelly at the time of the promotion. “During his 13 years at Furman, Craig has consistently earned the respect of our student-athletes, coaches, and administrators through his leadership, work ethic, and compassion for our community. Craig has directly contributed to the success, health, and wellness of all of our teams and is a valuable addition to our athletics senior staff and medical partnerships.”
Clark served as Furman’s assistant athletics director/associate director of sports medicine for six years following a seven-year tenure as head athletic trainer. In those capacities he oversaw healthcare delivery services for the Paladins’ intercollegiate athletic teams.
Prior to coming to coming to Furman he served as assistant director of sports medicine for seven years (2002-09) at The Citadel, providing coverage care for football and baseball teams, while also maintaining the position of clinical instructor for the College of Charleston’s Athletic Training Education Program.
Clark began his professional athletic training career as an intern with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans (1998-99) and worked with the Atlanta Braves in the spring of 2000.
A Knoxville, Tenn., native, he attended East Tennessee State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in December of 1999. He was awarded a master’s degree in education from The Citadel in 2003.
Clark holds a number of professional certifications and licenses, including Certified Athletic Trainer from the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (SCAT) and National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification (ATC); Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) from the Tennessee Department of Health; and American Heart Association CPR/AED for Healthcare Providers.
He has been an active member and leader in the South Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association over the past two decades, serving in a variety of roles, including honors and awards committee, secretary-treasurer, president, history committee, and constitution and by-laws committee. In addition, he has represented the organization to the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association and South Carolina Medical Association.
Clark has compiled an impressive list of professional activities, spanning work on campus and in the greater athletic training community. His current duties at Furman include membership with the Athletics Internal Operations Team, COVID Operations Team, COVID Testing, Tracing, Quarantine, and Isolation Team, and Student Intervention Team.
He also serves as a Preceptor/Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) of Athletic Training Education Programs at Lynchburg University, Eastern Kentucky University, Moravian College, Limestone College, and Western Carolina University.
Over his tenure with Paladin Athletics he has served as host athletic trainer for a number of Southern Conference Tournaments, as well as two NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament 1st & 2nd Round events.
In terms of professional development Clark is certified in Dry Needling and in both Graston and Facial Abrasion Techniques.
He has made numerous presentations in his over two decades of service in his profession and has co-authored research, including a 2019 piece for JAMA Cardiology, “Weight Gain, Hypertension, and Emergence of a Maladaptive Cardiovascular Phenotype Among U.S. Football Players.” Earlier this year he co-authored a paper for the American Heart Association, entitled “Hypertension and Vetricular-Arterial Uncoupling in Collegiate American Football Athletes.”
Clark holds several professional memberships, including the College Athletic Trainers’ Society, Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association, National Athletic Trainers’ Association,and South Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association.
