University News
Plaque Dedication for Late Athletic Training Pioneer Val Lindbloom Set for Sept. 26
September 18, 2008
MACOMB, IL - - Val Lindbloom's contributions to Western Illinois University and the fields of physical education and athletic training will be honored in a plaque dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26 in Brophy Hall, 133.
"This ceremony is to honor Ms. Lindbloom for her contributions as a physical education faculty member, softball coach and pioneer in the field of athletic training," said Miriam Satern, professor and kinesiology department chair at Western.
Lindbloom, who passed away in February, earned her bachelor's (1959) and master's (1965) from Western; she was appointed to WIU's women's physical education faculty in 1965.
Lindbloom's teaching specialties included adapted physical education, prevention of athletic injury, body mechanics and athletic training. She was named the Women's Physical Education Department Teacher of the Year in 1972, 1973, 1979 and 1986. She also taught "Coaching Techniques Workshops for the Mentally Retarded Athlete" for Western's special education department from 1980-1986, and she worked for McDonough County Special Olympics from 1978-1988. In addition, Lindbloom coached Western's women's intercollegiate softball team for 10 years, including the 1972 and 1973 teams, which placed third and fourth, respectively, in the College World Series. She was named the U.S. Coach of the Year in 1972.
A State of Illinois registered athletic trainer, Lindbloom received the Service in Athletic Training award from the Cramer Company in 1980. In 1992, she was the USA co-head athletic trainer at the World Goal Ball Championships for the blind in Indianapolis, IN. She also was the USA athletic head trainer at the Canadian National Championship for the Disabled in Ontario (1983) and the International Games for the Disabled in New York (1984).
Lindbloom retired in 1996, following 31 years of service to Western.
"We will be dedicating the honorary plaque mounted on the wall outside the Athletic Training Education laboratory in Brophy Hall," noted Satern. "Four of Val's WIU colleagues -- Mike Pendergast, retired head athletic trainer; Kathy Veroni, retired softball coach; Donna Phillips, retired professor and physical education department chair; and Rosemary Aten, retired professor and physical education department chair -- will reflect on working with Val during the ceremony," she said.
According to Satern, current and retired faculty from the department of physical education, current and retired coaching colleagues and friends from the department of athletics, her many friends in the Macomb and surrounding communities, her former students, players and friends from the University community are invited to attend.
Parking will available in the lot east of Brophy Hall. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact Satern at (309) 298-1981 or MN-Satern@wiu.edu.
Posted By: Teresa Koltzenburg (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
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