It all started in 1975. A landmark year that forever changed the landscape of Athletic Therapy in Canada, the ten-year-old Canadian Athletic Therapist Association (CATA) launched the very first National Certification Exam (NCE) and officially established a national standard for becoming a Certified Athletic Therapist.
To honour this fifty-year milestone, we sat down with two Certified Athletic Therapists who were members of that first group who took the inaugural NCE. Their stories remind us how far we have come as an association and just how powerful this standard was in shaping our profession.
Anne Hartley, a Certified Athletic Therapist (Certified AT) and member of the CATA Hall of Fame, has been a member of the CATA for over fifty years. Anne was one of the nineteen students in the inaugural graduating class from Canada’s first Athletic Therapy program at Sheridan College, and notably one of the only five women. When it came time to write the first NCE in 1975, she remembers feeling unsure. “We thought we might have to do this a couple of times to pass because we didn't have that much experience yet,” Anne recalled. But as a graduate of the University of Toronto's Physical and Health Education Program and a multi-sport athlete accustomed to working with fellow athletes, Anne was more prepared than previously thought.
The exam, held at Winnipeg's Viscount Gort Hotel in advance of the CATA national convention, was an intense event, consisting of a three-hour multiple choice written test in the morning followed by five practical testing stations in the afternoon. “It was a really busy day,” Anne laughed.
Certified AT Glen Bergeron, also a member of the CATA Hall of Fame, has similar recollections, “For us, it was all done in one day. It was a killer trying to get all that information in your head.” During his undergraduate studies at the University of Manitoba, Glen was introduced to the world of Athletic Therapy after being encouraged by Gord Mackie – one of the founding members of the profession – to work as a student trainer for the university teams. By 1975, while completing his master’s degree at the University of Alberta under Ray Kelly’s mentorship, Glen decided to write the NCE to pursue his aspiration of a career in Athletic Therapy. Like Anne, he remembers the exam day clearly, especially the high-pressure environment of the practical stations and the shared sense of urgency to perform at their best.
“After the written test we got a little bit of a break and then right away we went into the practical exam, where we went from one station to the next,” Glen recollected. Anne shared similar memories, offering a glimpse into the diversity of the practical stations. One required candidates to design an Athletic Therapy clinic on the spot for the examiner, while another tested CPR skills using a light-indicator device that signalled effectiveness in green, yellow and red lights. There was also a pharmaceutical station where candidates had to quickly identify medications, and of course, the timed taping stations where they were challenged to tape an ankle, a knee and a thumb under pressure, “The examiner had a stopwatch and you had two minutes, maybe three,” Anne disclosed.
Given that this was the first NCE in Canada and marked the early formative years of the national Athletic Therapy program, both Anne and Glen were eager to find out their results. “The wait period to find out whether or not we had passed…was pretty stressful,” Glen mentioned. The CATA sent out results letters in early September, but the official certificates were not sent until the next year. In that first wave of students taking the exam, seven out of the twelve passed. Fortunately, both Glen and Anne were a part of the successful candidate group in the groundbreaking NCE. Once that waiting period was over, their careers in the Athletic Therapy profession began.
From the Pan Am Games to the Olympics, both Glen and Anne have built impressive careers, supporting athletes across the country and beyond. Their journeys, marked by advanced degrees, certifications, and leadership roles, highlight the legacy of the NCE exam. “Fundamentals have stood the test of time,” Glen added, “the exam was the only vehicle that we could ensure validation of quality control.”
Anne remarked, “[Certified] Athletic Therapists in Canada have a national standard.” Assuring that athletes and the public are provided with care that is annually maintained and collectively achieved, the NCE is a way to unify standards from coast to coast to coast.
For the past 50 years, the NCE has been a guiding force in Athletic Therapy, ensuring Certified Athletic Therapists are qualified, recognized and ready to deliver top-tier care. Glen and Anne offer a glimpse into the CATA’s early days and the enduring value of maintaining high standards in the profession today.
Like many others, becoming “Certified” as an Athletic Therapist meant far more than simply earning a title. For Glen and Anne, it has been a defining force in their lives and careers. “There are very few professions that you get thanked for every day,” Anne shared. For Glen, Athletic Therapy has shaped him professionally in the clinical, field and academic settings and as an individual beyond, “We are blessed to have had role models who inspired us to learn so that we could in turn, serve as role models for the next generation.”
Since 1975, the NCE has evolved alongside the profession, adapting to reflect the growth and increasing complexity of the role of the Athletic Therapist. As the common denominator for Certified ATs over the last fifty years, the NCE continues to validate our professional expertise and advance the legacy of the CATA.
In 2025, the CATA is also celebrating sixty years as an association, a milestone that encapsulates decades of expertise, connection and growth. To each and every member, thank you for being a part of this incredible association.
Want to learn more about this incredible milestone? Dive into the latest updates in our news releases. Have a personal NCE story? We would love to hear it! Share it on social media and tag us, let’s celebrate the impact of the NCE together and inspire others to join.
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Photo provided by Anne Hartley, Graduating Class of 1975 from Sheridan College.