Athletic Trainers
Certified athletic trainers, working as physician extenders, are healthcare providers that are dedicated to the performance of competitive athletes. They collaborate with physicians to optimize activity and participation of patients and clients. They also help expedite patient faster through the appointment and treatment process. Athletic training encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and intervention of emergency, acute, and chronic medical conditions. These involve impairment, functional limitations and disabilities.
Meet Our Athletic Trainers:
Tiffany Hallacy, ATC/L has been the athletic trainer with Watson Clinic since August 2009. She works under the direction of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Drs. Prashant Desai and
Marc Volpe. She attended Missouri State University, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training.
After completing her Athletic Training certification and licensure, she went on to become the head athletic trainer for Raytown South High School in Raytown, Missouri. Hallacy provided care for their state winning track teams, as well as their state runner-up football team. She has also worked with collegiate teams, as well as the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs professional organizations.
Hallacy is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA).
Devin Healy, M.Ed., ATC/L has been an athletic trainer for Orthopaedic Surgeon
Dr. Phuc Vo since 2008. Healy graduated from Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH with his Bachelors Degree in Exercise and Sports Medicine. He went on to receive his Masters degree in Education at the University of Bridgeport.
Before joining Watson Clinic, Healy worked with both professional, collegiate and high school athletes including professional baseball for over 10 years. He is currently certified in weight testing for high school wrestling in the state of Florida and assists the high school coaches in strength and conditioning as well as speed and agility programs for their athletes.
He is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and the South Eastern Athletic Trainers Association (SEATA).
Erin Garzon, MBA, ATC/L has been an athletic trainer with Watson Clinic since November of 2010. She works under the direction of Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Phuc Vo. Garzon attended Ball State University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training. She then went on to complete her Master’s degree from Warner University in Business Administration.
Before joining Watson Clinic, Garzon worked for Select Physical Therapy in an outreach injury prevention program for Walt Disney World performers at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. She has also worked as a contract athletic trainer for ESPN’s Wide World of Sports since 2005. ESPN Wide World of Sports works in conjunction with the Walt Disney World© Resort from a 220-acre sports complex. As an athletic trainer for the Wide World of Sports, she was responsible for medical coverage for a multitude of amateur, semi-professional and professional sporting events. Garzon is also a contract athletic trainer for the Florida Youth Soccer Association and works with their Olympic Development Program.
Garzon is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and holds a certification in Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (SASTM).
Bethany Nkosi, MS, ATC/L has been an athletic trainer for Watson Clinic since October of 2008. She works under the direction of
Dr. Salvador Montenegro who is board-certified in Family Medicine and CAQ certified in Sports Medicine. Nkosi graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science/Athletic Training from the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL. She then went on to receive her Masters Degree in Exercise Science from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL.
In 2002, Nkosi received her Athletic Trainer Certification. Before joining Watson Clinic she worked for the University of Tampa, Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football, Pensacola Pelican Independent Baseball, Worker Compensation Rehabilitation, Pensacola Lightning NAFL Semi-Professional Football and Southeastern University.
Nkosi is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA).
Tiffany O’Connor, MS, ATC/L, OTC has been a certified Athletic Trainer since 2007. She has been with Watson Clinic working with Drs. Prashant Desai and Marc Volpe since August of 2010.
O’Connor received her Bachelors Degree in Athletic Training from the University of South Florida in 2007. While at USF she worked with Division 1 athletes including their football, baseball, basketball and soccer teams. In 2009, she received her Masters of Science Degree in Sports Medicine at Georgia State University. While there, she worked as a graduate assistant for a private high school in Marietta, GA, covering a multitude of sporting events at the high school and middle school levels.
In 2010, she completed a one year post-graduate Athletic Training Residency at USF in Tampa, where she worked with five orthopaedic surgeons in the office and operating room. Upon completion of the residency program, she obtained her Orthopaedic Tech certification in June 2010.
O’Conner is a member of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA), Southeastern Athletic Trainer’s Association (SEATA) and Athletic Trainer’s Association of Florida (ATAF).
Hours
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Monday – Friday
Phone 863-680-7214
Location
1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd.
Lakeland, FL 33805