Richardson to Deliver Keynote at CCC Fall Meetings
LA GRANDE, Ore. – Russ Richardson, Director of Student-Athlete Health and Wellness for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) will be the keynote speaker at the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) fall meetings announced by Commissioner Robert Cashell.
The meetings that will take place September 9 and 10 bring together the conference Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) representatives from each full member institution along with the Athletic Directors.
“I am very excited to have Mr. Richardson as our keynote speaker,” stated Cashell.” “His long tenure as a certified athletic trainer, administrator and now Director of Student-Athlete Health and Wellness for the NAIA brings a very unique and important perspective to what we do and who we do it for- the student athletes.”
Richardson is responsible for leading the process for development of policies and identifying resources that promote health and wellness for NAIA student-athletes across the country. In that capacity, he works collaboratively with sports medicine professionals, member institutions, and student-athletes as those policies are developed. He also works closely wit the NAIA’s Council for Student Athletes (CSA) and the Association of Student Athletes (ASA).
“I am both honored and excited to join the leadership of the Cascade Conference for their fall meetings,” stated Richardson. “The Cascade is one of the premier conferences in the NAIA and it is exciting to see them take the lead on important issues surrounding Health/Wellness in intercollegiate athletics.”
Prior to the NAIA, Richardson has had a long and distinguished career in Sports Medicine and administration serving as the director of athletic training at Whitworth University for 23 years before returning to his home town of Dillon, Montana and the University of Montana-Western. At UMW he was the Head Certified Trainer before assuming the Director of Athletics position.
Richardson has also held various leadership positions within the National Athletic Trainers' Association.