CHARLOTTE, NC (HamptonPirates.com) – The Hampton University Athletic Training Staff joined the staffs of the other Big South Conference schools as recipients of the Dr. Edward M. Singleton Leadership Award announced today. The Conference recognized the honorees on Tuesday night as part of the league’s annual Spring Awards Dinner Banquet at its annual meeting in Hilton Head, S.C.
The Singleton Leadership Award is named for the Big South’s first commissioner and is not an annual award. The purpose of the Singleton Leadership Award is to recognize a former Big South student-athlete or administrator that has exhibited exemplary leadership and character during their career. The Singleton Award Selection Committee waived its normal criteria for this year in light of the extraordinary dedication of Big South athletic trainers during the pandemic.
The Big South Athletic Training Staffs were critical in developing the conference’s Return To Play policies, COVID-19 procedures and protocols, and decisions in regards to Conference Championship operations amid the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to their regular sports medicine responsibilities, the Athletic Trainers administered countless COVID-19 tests to student-athletes and coaches, and facilitated health and safety measures that allowed the Big South to conduct nearly all of its regular-season competition and championship events in a safe manner.
“Having worked with our head athletic trainers since last spring on the Big South’s response to the ever-changing pandemic, I witnessed firsthand their sacrifice, work ethic, and selfless dedication to Big South student-athletes,” commented Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander. “If we told you the average number of hours worked by our athletic training staffs this year, especially when we had 17 sports competing at the same time, you would find it hard to believe. Yet they carried on and found a way to make it happen. The fact that Big South teams completed over 90% of their scheduled contests is directly attributable to our athletic training staffs, who helped craft policy, implement protocols, and kept our student-athletes and staff safe. They are completely deserving of the highest leadership award the Big South presents -- the Dr. Edward M. Singleton Leadership Award.”
“The amount and quality of work that our Athletic Training staff had to do this season to make it possible to play is nothing short of amazing,” said Hampton University Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall, Jr. “I was very happy that the Big South recognized not only our staff, but all the staffs across the conference with this prestigious award.”
"Thank you to the Big South Conference and Commissioner Kyle Kallander for this recognition to not only our athletic training staff at Hampton University, but also the athletic training staffs at the other member institutions. This is truly an honor, in such an unprecedented time,” said Hampton University Head Athletic Trainer Faye Tayag. “I also want to thank Hampton University Athletics for its continued support throughout this year. As athletic trainers, we are built to adapt to any situation that is thrown our way. The collaborative effort from each member institution and dedication from all the athletic trainers have made this year a success as we will always continue to strive to care for the health and well-being for each student-athlete."
