Jan. 9, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Providence College Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine John Rock was inducted into the Rhode Island Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 6 during the Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association meeting at the Copley Marriott in Boston, Mass.

Rock, who has spent 19 years at Providence College, was an Associate Head Athletic Trainer for the first 13 years, before being promoted to Assistant AD for Sports Medicine in 2001. Rock's work extends beyond Providence College. He was the co-founder of the RIATA in 1992 and served as president from 1994-96. He continues to serve in an advisory capacity and as chair of the honors and awards committee. He also was a member of the Rhode Island Department of Health Athletic Training Licensure Board from 1992-98 and served as chairman of the board for four years (1994-98). In addition, Rock helped establish the Sports Medicine Advisory Board of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League in 1997 and served on that board for five years. He helped establish and currently serves as the president of the BIG EAST Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, which was formed in June 2006.

After attaining a bachelor's degree in physical education from Springfield College in 1980, Rock attended Western Michigan University, where he earned a master's degree in athletic training in 1982. Rock then served as a teacher and athletic trainer at Leander High School in Leander, Texas in 1983 before spending one year in minor league baseball with the Baltimore Orioles organization. Rock then began his career in collegiate athletics in 1984 and spent two years as the head athletic trainer at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. He then became the assistant athletic trainer at Princeton in 1986 and moved on to Providence in 1988.

Rock and his wife, Patty, currently reside in Cranston, R.I. with their three children, Patrick (16), Abby (13) and Maggie (7).