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Name: Scott Sailor
Title: Professor/Special Assistant to Dean
Department: Kinesiology
Academic Degree(s):

• B.S. Special Major (Athletic Training), Fresno State,
• M.S. Exercise and Sport Sciences (Athletic Training), University of Arizona,
• Ed.D. Educational Leadership, Fresno State

How long have you worked at Fresno State?
1991 - 1998, Department of Athletics , athletic trainer and kinesiology lecturer

1998 - 2004, Department of Kinesiology, lecturer, athletic training.

2004 - 2008, Department of Kinesiology, assistant professor, athletic training.

2008 - 2015, Department of Kinesiology, associate professor, athletic training.

2013 - 2018, Department of Kinesiology, chair.

2021 - present, College of Health and Human Services, special assistant to the dean.

2015 - present, Department of Kinesiology, professor, athletic training.

Are you a Valley native?
I moved to Fresno from Dallas, Texas with my parents when I was a sophomore in high school. My dad was a salesman for International Harvester and was transferred here to manage this territory. I intended to return to the Midwest for college but changed my mind after my high school athletic trainer set up a meeting with Ed Ferreira and Paul Schechter - the Fresno State athletic trainers.

Both became lifelong friends and mentors. They convinced me that I could accomplish any professional goals I had for myself by staying here rather than heading back to a "big school" in the Midwest.

Are you part of a Bulldog family with generations of Bulldog graduates or current students?
I was the first in my family to attend here. My sister was already attending the University of Oklahoma when we moved to Fresno. All three of my daughters and my son-in-law graduated from this university. We definitely feel Bulldog Born and Bulldog Bred.

Do you have a campus mentor or someone who has helped you in your career?
Ed Ferreira and Paul Schechter both were important mentors in my life and career. Unfortunately, both passed away during the last several years. Many of the avenues they encouraged me to pursue early on are now coming to be. I can't share it with either of them at this point but I can pour into the next generation like they were willing to do for me so many years ago.

Tell us about your department and what people may not know about it.
Kinesiology is one of the largest departments here. The program I came through and now get to teach in has been developing athletic trainers for over 30 years. We have alumni spread around the globe working in a wide variety of settings. Most people assume athletic trainers only work in athletics. Today we find athletic trainers working in the military, the performing arts, as well as industrial settings to name a few. I am proud to say that most of the athletic trainers in high schools and colleges throughout the Central Valley are a product of Fresno State.

What is your most notable accomplishment in your field, and why was it important?
As an athletic trainer and an educator, we hope that our biggest impact is with our patients and our students. That is why we do what we do. Outside of that, one of the greatest honors I had was being elected as president of the National Athletic Trainers Association. This position allowed me to serve as a spokesperson for athletic trainers throughout the country. After traveling the world and hearing their stories, I was in awe of my colleagues and the impact they are making.

What are you most passionate about in your field and why?
Unfortunately, not everyone has easy access to healthcare. Especially those in certain parts of our city as well as the surrounding communities. Having athletic trainers in those secondary schools provides an initial point of contact with the healthcare community for many who would not have it otherwise.

Many see the athletic trainer as someone who can help them return to sport or work but I believe an equally important responsibility we have is making sure, to the best of our training and ability, that we advocate for our patients so they lead healthy and productive lives after they leave the playing field or warehouse floor.

What is a memorable moment you had at your job?
As department chair, I had several opportunities to help remove some roadblocks for students who were trying to complete their degrees. Every so often I run into one of those students and they tell me they stayed on track to graduate because I was able to help them get into a class, etc. That is very rewarding to me. It gave me the same feeling I would have after helping an athlete back onto the field successfully.

What is a memorable moment you had in class?
I remember a cell phone going off in my class and I started joking with the student about getting a call from his dad during class. He looked at me with a confused look and pointed at me at which point I realized it was my cell phone that I had failed to silence and it was my dad calling me. That gave the class a big laugh. It was not the only time I was humbled in class but it was one of the funniest.

What is your teaching style?
I want students to appreciate that they are entering a healthcare profession and someone later is counting on them knowing what we are covering in class. The health of another person is going to be in their hands. That being said, I prefer to have a fairly low-pressure classroom environment with the hope that students will feel free to share their thoughts on the topic at hand.

What is your favorite quote or saying?
The best use of life is to spend it on things that will outlast you.

What is the most interesting or unusual job you've ever had?
I was the first athletic trainer at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. The reason this is interesting is because of Cumberland's football history. To this day, Cumberland holds the record for the most lopsided loss in college football ever. They lost to Georgia Tech in 1916.

Cumberland lost 222-0 and never played football again until the year I took the job there. All eyes around the country were on us wondering if we might break our own record. Fortunately, we did not. Seeing that little school get so much attention was a lot of fun.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
I love to create things. Typically this involves remodeling, cooking, or beer brewing. Family and friends are always involved and I would not want it any other way.

What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
I worked two different summers with the San Francisco 49ers as an athletic trainer. It was during an era when they were winning Super Bowls regularly. The first game we played one year was the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. The night before the game both teams got to a reception in the Hall of Fame facility.

One display housed all the Super Bowl rings from each year it had been played. As I was admiring the rings I realized there were some players standing next to me and they were trying to find the rings that matched the ones on their hands. Not many people can say they toured the NFL Hall of Fame with people who would eventually be inducted into it. That was pretty surreal.

Is there something else you would like to share that was not asked?
My family is a big part of everything I do. Their support has been one of the greatest gifts. My daughters were in strollers watching me work softball games in the early years. Our family trips were often to professional meetings throughout the country. They got a chance to meet some amazing people,. These people aren't celebrities but they are people who are making a positive impact in people's lives. I am so glad I have been able to introduce my family to them and let my kids see the intangible rewards of a life serving others.