Tony Zaloga Award

The Tony Zaloga Award is in honor of Frostburg State University’s former head athletic trainer and athletic training education program director, Mr. Z.

For 39 years, Mr. Z was an advocate for the athletic training profession and athletic training education. As a former President of the Maryland Athletic Training Association (1983-84), he encouraged employing high school athletic trainers and licensure in the state. He established the athletic training cooperative, placing former FSU graduate assistant athletic trainers at local high schools to provide athletic training services to those athletes. He also developed a vocational program called the High School Athletic Training Completer Program for high school students who are interested in athletic training careers.

Mr. Z is also a Maryland Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame member. He established FSU's athletic training undergraduate program in the fall of 1978, and more than 50 of his students have gone on to become athletic trainers. In 2009, Mr. Z became the athletic training education program director and initiated the first dual degree program at FSU in Exercise and Sport Science and Master's Degree in Athletic Training.

Mr. Z has been a teacher, mentor and advisor to athletic training students, student-athletes and students in general at Frostburg State University.

The recipient of this award is someone who, like Mr. Z, advocates for the athletic training profession and advances in athletic training education.