The Valley Athletic Trainers Association was founded in 2001 by a group of athletic trainers, who saw the need for a professional orginization in the Rio Grande Valley. Since that time VATA has grown in to an orginization with more than 70 members. It provides continuing education credit through the South Padre Athletic Training Seminar, a CEU Lecture Series, and a Student Trainer Workshop. VATA also provides assistance to student athletic trainers by awarding up to four $1000 scholarships to qualified seniors.

In the years since its inception, VATA has become more and more involved in local community service. Whether manning first aid stations for the Vannie Cook Ride for Life, or a water station for the Edinburg 10K, giving back to the community is a big part of our mission. One of our most successful endeavours is the Fill the Helmet Drive benefitting the Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation. In a short 3 year span, VATA members and their students have raised around $20,000 by collecting money at football playoff games. The Valley Athletic Trainers Association was the first regional association in Texas to do a fundraiser of this type.