[SAU Bees] Vorwerk named CCAC Athletic Trainer of the Year
Jason Vorwerk, an assistant athletic trainer at St. Ambrose University, has been named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Athletic Trainer of the Year for 2020-21, it was announced by the league office on Tuesday morning.
Vorwerk, who has served in his capacity for the Fighting Bees program for 15 years, proved to be the "go-to" person related to the COVID-19 pandemic not only at St. Ambrose, but within the conference, as well. He never stopped researching, reading and watching everything he could related to the virus and kept everyone informed and up-to-date.
"I think all athletic trainers were thrust into an unpredictable scenario of dependence from their athletic departments, but Jason was beyond impressive," stated St. Ambrose director of athletics Mike Holmes. "He gained the confidence of our county health officials early, contact tracing our cases on their behalf. He had my total confidence because he was cautious, but never bought into the political aspects of the thing -- he just provided good direction and competent advice.
"The hours the pandemic asked of him were Herculean, but he grinded out his responsibilities in an impressive, steadfast fashion."
Vorwerk is one of five athletic trainers on staff at St. Ambrose and is part of a team that oversees 900-plus student-athletes and 26 sport offerings. Dean Beauchamp serves as the head athletic trainer at St. Ambrose and nominated Vorwerk for the award.
"Jason is a hard-working, dedicated individual who thirsts for knowledge and puts in tireless hours," said Beauchamp. "I am amazed and blessed to have such a dedicated athletic trainer on our staff."
Besides his responsibilities at St. Ambrose, Vorwerk also took on the responsibility of serving as the chair of the conference athletic trainers' group this past year.
"I don't know how we would have navigated not only as a conference, but as a University without his leadership on the COVID-19 pandemic," added Beauchamp.
Vorwerk is a member of both the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Athletic Trainers Association as well as the National Athletic Trainers Association as a certified athletic trainer.