JMU Head of Sports Medicine, Tom Kuster, Inducted Into VATA Hall of Fame

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Associate Athletics Director for Integrated Health and Sports Performance Tom Kuster was inducted into the Virginia Athletic Trainers' Association (VATA) Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Saturday evening, Jan. 8. The VATA Hall of Fame Award is given to a qualified individual who is recognized for going above and beyond in their dedication and service to benefit the athletic training profession in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"I am deeply humbled and thankful to have received the VATA Hall of Fame recognition," Kuster reflected on the honor. "This award certainly is a reflection of my accomplishments as an athletic trainer over my career; however, none of those accomplishments would have been realized without the support, guidance and influence of many people. To that end I share this award with and I am grateful to those people who have been a part of my journey. Thank you to my family for their love and support; to my mentors who helped shape and develop me as a healthcare professional and a leader; to all of my coworkers and team physicians past and present from JMU Sports Medicine, who it has been an honor to work with side by side; to the JMU administration for all their support personally and professionally in the growth of our department; to the many graduate and undergraduate students who have come through our program over the years; and finally to the JMU student-athletes who I've had the privilege of caring for over the past 23 years and who have inspired me and driven me to be better and do better as we strive to set the standard in providing the ultimate student-athlete experience within our holistic integrated health and sports performance model at JMU. Go Dukes!"

"Tom Kuster is a true professional in the world of sports medicine and an even better human being," JMU Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said. "I'm so thrilled for Tom and his wife, Bethany, for this award. It is a testament to over 20 years of service to James Madison University and to the industry as a whole. He brings incredible energy and passion to his work, and it is appropriate that his legacy will be remembered with this Hall of Fame honor."

From comments shared during the awards ceremony by VATA, "Tom has served most of his athletic training career here in the Commonwealth and was nominated by his peers for his selflessness and dedication to advancing the profession of athletic training not only at his own institution, but also across the state. It was mentioned that he goes above and beyond to help not only the student-athletes under his care, but those who work with him, serving as a great mentor to many young clinicians."

Kuster has been a member of the JMU sports medicine staff since 1999, has been Director of Sports Medicine since 2006 and was promoted to Associate Athletics Director for Integrated Health and Sports Performance in 2016. He oversees all health-related units within JMU Athletics consisting of sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition and sport psychology. He also served as sport supervisor for the men's and women's tennis programs.

In July, Kuster was bestowed with the Colonial Athletic Association's prestigious Randolph Inspiration Award. The award recognizes individuals who, through strength of character and human spirit, serve as an inspiration to all to maximize their potential and ability for success. It is named after former William & Mary athletic director John Randolph, who lost a courageous battle with cancer in 1995.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, Kuster devoted countless hours into creating a plan that would enable JMU student-athletes, coaches and staff to return to activity in a safe manner. In the midst of that work, Kuster began dealing with his own health challenges and doctors discovered he had an advanced stage of colon cancer. He immediately began an aggressive schedule of treatments, but has continued to stay engaged with implementing JMU's pandemic strategies and guiding all facets of the department's integrated health program.

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