Former Penn-Trafford athletic trainer Larry Cooper heading to national hall of fame

Despite retiring from his position as a long-time athletic trainer at Penn-Trafford at the end of the 2017-18 school year, Glen “Larry” Cooper has remained quite active in his profession.

He has fanned out on a national level as the secretary of the National Athletic Trainers Association.

While he may be finished taping ankles before games, he has done consulting work and speaking engagements across the country.

Now, he will be recognized for his valuable contributions.

Cooper, who worked and taught at Penn-Trafford for 27 years, will be inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in June.

This is the most prestigious honor an athletic trainer can receive. Call it their “Cooperstown.”

Of more than 47,000 members of the association, only six will be inducted to bring the total hall honorees to 318.

They are recognized for their “noteworthy accomplishments and dedication to service, leadership and professionalism.”

“Coop,” who began his career as a trainer for the Duquesne women’s basketball team before moving to Virginia and working as an athletic trainer at two high schools, later became the head athletic trainer at East Suburban Sports Medicine Center in Monroeville and then, took on that role at Penn-Trafford.

Penn-Trafford in 2013 become the first school in Pennsylvania to receive the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School Award.

Cooper received the Most Valuable Athletic Trainer Award by Training & Conditioning Magazine in 2016 and was inducted to the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainer’s Society Hall of Fame the following year. He also received the Lifesaving Service Award from the Korey Stringer Institute.