Athletic Trainers (ATs) are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians. The services provided by ATs comprise prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.

As the profession of athletic training started to evolve around the mid 1900's, the National Athletic Trainers' Association was established in 1950 to build, strengthen and advance the profession. The Board of Certification (NATABOC) was established in 1970 as a program to certify qualifying students and to re-certify current Certified Athletic Trainers. The Board of Certification (BOC) became an independent corporation in 1989. This organization by 1999 had finished defining the profession of athletic training by completing a role delineation study and establishing six practice domains. Most all athletic trainers in Indiana maintain certification through the BOC.

In the early 1980s, many Certified Athletic Trainers from Indiana under the encouragement of William "Pinky" Newell from Purdue University (known as the Father of Athletic Training) saw the need to establish a state association for the purpose of information gathering, creating professional standards and pursuing a state regulation practice act. On May 21, 1984, the Indiana Athletic Trainers' Association (IATA) was incorporated as an association with 106 members. The membership continued to grow and when the association marked its 30th anniversary year in 2014, the membership had reached over 1250 members.

In 1993, Indiana Athletic Trainers became state regulated (certification) with a state licensing board appointed in 1994 by Governor Evan Bayh III. A bill was later introduced and passed in 1998 changing the language from certified to licensed athletic trainer. The bill was signed into law by Governor Frank O'Bannon.

The Executive Council, the governing body of the association, is made up of three elected officers (President, Secretary and Treasurer), seven standing committees (Communication, Education, Finance / Development, Government Affairs, Licensed Athletic Trainer-Political Action, Membership, and Revenue) and four special committees (Awards and Honors, All-Star, History and Archives and National Athletic Training Month).

As of 2014, the IATA student membership is over 400 members. Indiana is well known nationwide for its outstanding college / university educational programs preparing students to enter the profession of athletic training. Indiana has 10 College / Universities that offer undergraduate athletic training programs (Anderson University, Ball State University, Franklin College, Indiana State University, Indiana University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Manchester University, Purdue University, University of Evansville and University of Indianapolis). Additionally, Manchester University offers an entry-level master's degree in athletic training and post-professional graduate athletic training programs are offered at Indiana State University and Indiana University.

The IATA's mission statement (updated October 2013) reads "Dedicated to advancing the profession and empowering membership through advocacy, education, networking and innovative resources." The IATA's vision statement is "Positioning the athletic trainer as Indiana's preferred healthcare provider."

Indiana is well known nationally for producing outstanding leaders in the field of athletic training serving on the state, district and national levels.

Indiana State Fact Sheet (2020)