WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Acadia University and the Department of Athletics announced today the appointment of Curtis Arsenault, CAT(c), as Head Athletic Therapist. Arsenault's role will be to lead and oversee the prevention, management, and rehabilitation of all athletic injuries to varsity student-athletes.
From Egmont Bay, P.E.I., Arsenault replaces long-time head therapist Dr. James MacLeod, who will be dedicated full-time to the academic side of the School of Kinesiology at Acadia University.
"Firstly, on behalf of Acadia Athletics, I want to thank Jim MacLeod for his incredible contribution to our university for almost forty years. It's impossible to put into words the impact Jim has had on so many students, student-athletes, coaches and people involved in our program, well beyond his medical expertise. Jim has been a close friend since I coached at Acadia in the nineties, and I am glad he will stay associated with our program through the School of Kinesiology," noted Executive Director of Athletics and Community Events, Kevin Dickie.
While at Acadia, Arsenault was an athletic therapist student-assistant with the Acadia men's hockey team under the guidance of Dr. Jim MacLeod. After graduating from Acadia University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Kinesiology, Arsenault pursued Post-Graduate studies in Athletic Therapy at Mount Royal University after which he passed the Canadian Athletic Therapists' Association's professional certification written and practical standards to merit CAT(c) status.
Included in the intense Mount Royal graduate program, Curtis worked within the athletic therapy field with the Calgary Royals Midget AAA hockey team; the Calgary Canadian Irish Rugby Club, and at the Calgary Centre for Health Clinic and WinSport Medical Centre, where he worked with the Canadian Alpine Ski team and NHL athletes.
After completing his graduate studies, Arsenault moved to Lethbridge, Alta. for an internship with the University of Lethbridge where he held the role of student athletic therapist, treating all the teams' athletic injuries and managing the student trainers.
Once CATA certified, Arsenault also became the Head Athletic Therapist with the Lethbridge College Kodiaks.
"We had over fifty applicants for our Head Athletic Therapy position, including a number of experienced and exceptional individuals," noted Dickie.
"We couldn't be more pleased that Curtis will be coming back to Acadia where he was very highly thought of as a student. There is also a special satisfaction that Curtis is an alumnus of our outstanding School of Kinesiology," said Dickie.
"Curtis' past experience both at Acadia and most recently in Lethbridge will allow him to keep the key ingredients that has made our athletic therapy program special for many years, but also implement the changes he feels are critical to advance our Acadia Athletics Sport Science Team - something people will learn about more in the fall," concluded Dickie.
Arsenault will begin his work at Acadia University on August 1st and is thrilled to return to his alma mater.
"I am extremely excited to be able to return to Acadia and be a part of it's growing athletic success. Acadia is my home away from home, no matter where I was living, so being able to live here now is truly a dream," commented Arsenault.