Sports Medicine Outreach.
KOC values community involvement and has a long tradition of supporting student athletes. In 2003, KOC formalized that commitment by investing in a program that provides area high schools with full-time athletic trainers. This Sports Medicine Outreach program allows coaches and students the benefit of having a certified athletic trainer available at the school, at practices, and on the sidelines of games. Through this partnership, KOC has become an integral part of the team and culture of each of the participating schools.
The athletic trainers in the schools work very closely with the physicians at KOC as well as the physical therapists at OrthoTennessee Therapy. With a rehabilitation facility located in the same building as the KOC physician offices, OrthoTennessee Therapy provides convenient, patient-friendly services for injured athletes. This convenience, paired with the established relationships and the collaborative effort among the student athlete, parents, athletic trainer, physician, therapist and coach, serves to help each athlete get back in the game as soon and as safely as possible.
Keeping Student Athletes Safe.
As a dedicated and generous supporter of area athletics, KOC has developed a renowned sports medicine team. KOC is proud to be the orthopaedic surgeons of the University of Tennessee Athletic Department since 1949. KOC is also the official sports medicine provider for Carson-Newman University, Lincoln Memorial University, Johnson University, and the Tennessee Smokies professional baseball team.
Certified Athletic Trainers
Jayson Berlin, MAT, LAT, ATC
Jayson says he loves sports and helping others, so his career choice of athletic trainer was an easy one. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Jayson wanted to attend college in the South. He enrolled at East Tennessee State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training in 1997. We went on to receive the master’s of art in teaching at ETSU in 1999. He is a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) with Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic and works with athletes at Austin East Magnet School in Knoxville. “I enjoy being around young people and teaching athletes what is wrong with them. There is great satisfaction in seeing them get back into the game after an injury.” In his leisure time, Jayson likes fishing, water skiing, golf, yard work and spending time with family and friends.
Mickey Brown, MS, LAT, ATC
Mickey Brown is a certified athletic trainer and the director of sports medicine outreach for Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Tennessee Technological University and a Master’s in Sports Administration from Austin Peay State University. Mickey was an athletic trainer at Knoxville Central High School for 15 years and has been certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) since 1994. “I became an athletic trainer because I enjoy sports and helping others,” Mickey says. “This profession allows me to accomplish both.” Mickey says he likes to know that he can make a difference in an athlete’s performance, and cherishes the personal relationships gained during the process. In his spare time, Mickey and his wife Sherri enjoy spending time with their children and being anywhere near the lake or mountains.
Ann Dillard, LAT, ATC
As the athletic trainer at Central High School, Ann loves being able to advocate for her athletes. Her job allows her to be a part of something bigger than herself. She feels fulfilled when student athletes trust they can come to her for help, whether it be for an injury or just life in general, knowing they will come out better. Ann graduated from Washington State University and is pursuing her master’s degree with San Jose State University. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, reading, writing, creating music, and volunteering with her church. She loves the welcoming community she’s found in East Tennessee.
Chico Dupas, MS, LAT, ATC
Chico Dupas is the athletic trainer for Fulton High School. He attended Louisiana State University majoring in kinesiology, and he graduated from the Univeristy of Kentucky with his Masters of Science in Athletic Training. Chico has been an athletic trainer since 2002. Chico feels that athletic training is his professional calling and passion. He truly enjoys helping athletes that suffer injuries manage the injury from the onset and provide the necessary care to get them back to performing at the level they desire. In his leisure time, when not spending extra time working in the ministry, he enjoys time with his family and loved ones. He also loves listening to live music, primarily jazz and R&B, and going on fishing expeditions.
Noel Evans, LAT, ATC
Noel first encountered the field of athletic training as a softball player at Union College in Kentucky. She suffered a few minor injuries and spent some time in the athletic training room. She changed her major and began the newly-offered athletic training program. Noel serves Lenoir City High School. She likes that no work day is ever the same. She finds fulfillment being there for her student athletes, whether helping them through an injury or just having a conversation about life. Noel has a husband and two dogs. They like to hike and explore the mountains. She enjoys riding her Peloton, reading, and traveling. Noel is also an amateur disc golfer.
Jesica Frazier, MS, LAT, ATC
Jesica is the athletic trainer for Farragut High School. She happened to be taking an athletic training class in high school when she suffered a back injury due to her many years as a gymnast. That’s when Jesica decided to pursue this unique career path. She went on to receive both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Jesica’s favorite part of the job is building a rapport with her student athletes. Getting to know them and laugh with them while also being able to help them with an injury or listen to them when they are having a bad day means a lot to her. She feels it opens the door for honest communication and trust. When she’s not working, Jesica loves to work out, participate in Spartan races, cook, hike, go camping, and spend time studying and growing in her faith.
Sam Gover, MS, LAT, ATC
Sam was inspired to become an athletic trainer as an injured high school basketball player. The drive and passion her school’s athletic trainer showed to get her healthy and back to playing the sport she loved convinced her to follow this career path. A Knoxville native, Sam always wanted to be an athletic trainer at a local high school and give back to her city. Now, she’s based at Halls High school where her student-athletes know that she is always in their corner. Just knowing she’s made an impact in their lives is what makes her the happiest about her job. Sam attended UT for her undergraduate degree and received her master’s from Eastern Kentucky University. Outside of work, she enjoys photography, reading, hiking, being outdoors, and skydiving.
Anna Hamilton, MS, LAT, ATC
Anna is the athletic trainer at Concord Christian School. She loves a variety of sports and helping others.Being on the sidelines is something she has always dreamed of. Her goal is to build a good rapport withher athletes and watch them succeed on and off the field. Seeing them return from an injury andknowing she helped impact their lives is something she has a great passion for. Anna received her BS in Exercise Science from Tennessee Tech and her Masters in Athletic Training fromLenoir Rhyne University. In her free time, Anna loves to golf, be on the lake, and go to UT sporting events. Go Vols!
Taylor Hilliard, MS, LAT, ATC
Taylor is a huge sports fan and always loves to lend a helping hand; athletic training combines the two perfectly for her. She earned her degree in kinesiology from UNC Greensboro and her master’s in athletic training from Lenoir-Rhyne University. Taylor works at Gibbs High School, where she enjoys being part of a team. She helps injured student athletes through some of their toughest days, and says they often help her through her bad days without even knowing it. In her spare time, Taylor enjoys being outside with her dog Lambert and spending time near the water with friends.
Cindi Juarez-Logan, LAT, ATC
Cindi is an only child, originally from California. Playing softball during her last year of junior college, she suffered a career-ending injury. Her own rehab and recovery inspired her to look into the field of athletic training. She was already very passionate about sports, human anatomy, and medicine. Cindi went on to earn her BS in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Athletic Training and her Masters in Sports Administration. Before coming to KOC, Cindi was an athletic trainer for the University of Tennessee. She now works with the student athletes at Hardin Valley Academy, where she loves watching them succeed clinically and athletically. In her spare time, Cindi enjoys working out and hiking, cooking foods from different cultures and trying new foods, and traveling, especially to places with beautiful beaches and waterfalls.
Rachel Kozemko, LAT, ATC
Having been an athlete her whole life, Rachel saw athletic training as a profession where she could stay involved in the world of sports. She went to Maryville College for her undergraduate degree in exercise science, then attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for her masters in athletic training. Rachel works at South-Doyle High School where she enjoys helping young athletes pursue their passions while helping them maintain their health. Being able to work with an injured athlete every step of the way to get them back out there and doing what they love most is why she loves her job. In her free time, Rachel likes hiking, painting, cooking, and spending time with her pets and family.
Michelle Lindsay, LAT, ATC
Michelle received her Bachelors of Science from Mars Hill University in Athletic Training and received her Masters of Science from UT Chattanooga in Athletic Training. She became an Athletic Trainer because she played sports throughout her childhood and into high school. They didn’t have an Athletic Trainer at her high school to help with injuries. She heard about Athletic Training in a Health Occupations class and knew that’s what she wanted to do. Michelle enjoys helping student-athletes understand their injuries and taking them through the steps to get back to their sport. In her spare time Michelle enjoys spending time with family and friends and likes to get out and explore the area.
Nicole Medina, MS, LAT, ATC
Nicole is the athletic trainer for Bearden High school. Serving as both a healthcare provider and mentor to her community is incredibly rewarding for Nicole, and she believes mentorship is only possible through developing the types of rich relationships that the athletic training profession inherently inspires. The human body is fascinating to Nicole, and working with young minds helps her maintain fresh perspective in addressing both new and old physiological challenges. Inspiring and guiding the next generation of athletic trainers is important to her. Nicole attended the University of South Florida where she received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. She then earned her Master of Science in Physical Education with a concentration in Athletic Training from the University of South Carolina. Nicole says healthcare will always be a frontier for nuance and learning, and she’s found that a career in athletic training provides her with countless opportunities to mobilize this sense of curiosity and desire for growth as a public service. As a former athlete with a strong interest in healthcare, athletic training enables her to combine her passions for the benefit of others.
Chelsea Robl, MA, LAT, ATC
Chelsea has been a Certified Athletic Trainer since January 2010 and is currently the ATC at Powell High School. She attended Saginaw Valley State University and earned her B.S. in Athletic Training and completed her Masters of Arts in Teaching at The University of the Cumberlands while she served as a Graduate Assistant working with men’s and women’s soccer, women’s wrestling and men’s and women’s basketball. Becoming an Athletic Trainer was something Chelsea always knew she wanted to do because it combined her two favorite things – sports and being able to make an impact on people’s lives. As a former collegiate rugby player she suffered from various injuries, was exposed to the profession and the rest is history. Chelsea’s favorite part of working with student-athletes is the opportunity to have a positive impact on their lives. For some that means doing rehab on an injury, for others it is simply being there when they need a shoulder to lean on. In her spare time Chelsea enjoys visiting her family in Michigan, spending time outdoors – camping, kayaking, exploring new places, and attending Brewers and Packers games.
Jay Smith, OPE-C, LAT, ATC
Jay became an athletic trainer to help student athletes achieve their full potential. He earned his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from MTSU, and has been a certified and licensed athletic trainer since 2006. He is currently serving Carter High School. His favorite part of the job is watching his student athletes grow up and become their best selves. In his spare time, Jay enjoys spending time with his daughter, photography, and rock climbing.
