Florida State University Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Men's Basketball Athletic Trainer
- Email:
- cclapton@fsu.edu
- Phone:
- 8506446223
Chris Clapton, who has an incredibly diverse background in the health care field, is in his third season as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Florida State Men’s Basketball Team. His professional background includes health care positions on the college athletic level, in NASCAR, and in the private military sector.
Clapton comes to Florida State from the University of Southern Mississippi where he was an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the men’s basketball team. He was responsible for the care and rehabilitation of the Eagles’ players, as well as budget preparation, the re-development of the athletic departments Emergency Action plans and the maintenance of the athletic training facility. While at Southern Miss, he was also the medical co-director for the 2020 C-USA Volleyball Tournament and was a preceptor for the Graduate Athletic Training program.
Clapton was an assistant athletic trainer at both George Mason University (2014-16) and at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2010-14). While at George Mason, he was the athletic trainer for men’s and women’s outdoor track and field and cross country and the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. At Charlotte, he was the athletic trainer for the women’s soccer team. He also assisted the department as they hosted the second and third rounds of the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Clapton was integral in the organization of the athletic training room and the management of the Halton-Wagner tennis complex on the Charlotte campus.
Clapton was the Head Athletic Trainer for Richard Childress Racing (2016-17) and was responsible for the daily care of both the driver and pit crew members. He also restructured the policies and procedures manual for the sports medicine department and implemented new preventative medical techniques which meet the needs of the entire crew. Clapton also used his skill on the pit crew as fueler and helped the organization win the Music City 200 race at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
Clapton was employed through the University of South Carolina as the Head Battalion Athletic Trainer for the 2nd Battalion/60th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jackson.
Clapton is a certified athletic trainer, a National Academy of Sports Medicine Performance Enhancement Specialist, and is a trained limited X-Ray machine operator. He also holds his Graston Technique Specialist certification and is certified in Neurologic Dry Needling.
Clapton graduated from Charlotte in 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training and a Master’s of Health Sciences from Nova Southeastern University in 2014.
