It is a story that is old as long as athletic training has been a profession. An injury playing a sport leads to interest in athletic training and morphs into a storied career. That was what happened to Dave Weikel his junior year in high school when a dislocated shoulder while playing football lead to a chance meeting with a PT/ATC that peaked his interest in athletic training. When searching for schools with athletic training education programs he found a fit at Ball State and worked his way into a wild ride with the 1989-1990 Sweet Sixteen Men's basketball team as a student athletic trainer. Women's track, Football, and Men's Volleyball were all clinical sport assignments that Dave worked student AT while at Ball State. He worked as a student AT intern with the Indianapolis Colts for two years, the second as the 6 month intern. With a dream of working in the NFL but not the availability of open positions in the mid 1990's he decided to take an outreach position first in Muncie, IN and then in Niles, MI. He found that working with secondary school athletes was as enjoyable as working with professional athletes. After a short stent with Riverview Hospital in Noblesville, IN, Dave moved on to St Vincent's Sports Performance. This provided him with the opportunity to begin working with USA Football as the Head Athletic Trainer. A role that he currently holds today. He has traveled all over the world for different USA Football events and represented the profession of athletic training on a world stage in this role. In 2020 he became the Manager of Sports Medicine for Franciscan Health, Indianapolis, IN. He oversees the athletic trainers for 22 schools and 1 university in the Indianapolis area. Dave was the host athletic trainer at the Lucas Oil Stadium Venue for the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. He was a panelist 2023 NATA youth sports safety summit and is a in-demand speaker for youth football safety. Currently he is a medical observer for Ball State University Football games. Dave was inducted to the Cardinal Sports Medicine Society Ring of Honor in 2022. He resides in Westfield, IN with his wife Jennifer and their two children.