Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, LAT

Position: Director - Athletic Training Concentration

Undergrad: LSU (1990)
Masters: Southern Miss (1993)
Doctoral: Southern Miss (2000)
Hometown: St. Joseph, LA

Phone: (225) 578-7175



Ray Castle, PhD, ATC, LAT currently is the Athletic Training Program Director and Associate Professor of Professional Practice in the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University, a position he has held since 2002. He has been a BOC Certified Athletic Trainer since 1991, LSBME credentialed athletic trainer (LAT) since 1994, and is an American Red Cross Instructor since 2005.

Prior to arriving at LSU in 2002, Castle served as Assistant Professor and Director of the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL, and also provided medical coverage to the Soccer teams during his stint there from 2000-02. He was responsible for initiating the undergraduate accreditation process for their program as their first Athletic Training Education Program Director.

Dr. Castle has an extensive background in education, clinical practice, and professional service over the last 19 years. In athletic training education, he led LSU's efforts in obtaining its first ever CAAHEP-accredited athletic training program in April 2004 and most recently through its CAATE re-accreditation in 2009. Dr. Castle's clinical practice background has included experiences at the clinic (Baton Rouge Physical Therapy; Lake Charles Memorial Sports Medicine), high school (Catholic High School in Baton Rouge), college (Staff Athletic Trainer for the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette), and international (1996 Atlanta Olympic Games; USOC Sports Medicine Staff for 2003 Pan American Games; and 2004 US Women's Bobsled) levels.

After graduation from LSU in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, he earned his Master's Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1993, serving as Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for Football and Baseball from 1991-1993. From 1998-00, he returned to USM as a Doctoral Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer, where he worked with Football and Track and Field and earned his PhD in Administration and Teaching in 2000.

Dr. Castle has been a highly active member of the athletic training profession, having made over 50 presentations at the local, state, national and international levels, numerous publications, as well as serving on various organization committees at state, district, and national levels. Dr. Castle has served on a number of committees over the years for the LATA, and most recently is a member of the Secondary School Athletic Trainers' Committee, as well as participating in the development group for the Secondary School Sports Medicine Curriculum Program. On the district level, Castle is currently Co-Chair of the Southeastern Athletic Trainers' Association Annual Athletic Training Student Clinical Symposium (2002-present), as well as serving on the SEATA Corporate Partnership Committee and SEATA Athletic Training Educator Conference Planning Committee. At the national level, he has served as chair of the NATA Educational Multimedia Committee (2004-08) and as a voting member of the NATA's Education Council Executive Committee (2004-08). In June 2010, he joined the NATA Research and Education Foundation Board of Directors as the NATA District IX Board Member.

Outside of the profession, he currently serves on the board for the Capital Area Chapter of the American Heart Association and a member of Louisiana Coastal Conservation Association. Additionally, he currently serves on various departmental, college, and university-wide committees/councils at LSU, including the Communication Across the Curriculum (CxC Advisory Council) and the Moodle Development Advisory Committee (MDAC).

Dr. Castle has also been recognized for his professional activity and service at various levels. He is the past recipient of the SEATA Education/Administration Award (2009); NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award (2007); SEATA District Award (2005); LATA Charlie Martin Ten-Year Service Award (2003); and Athletic Trainers' Association of Florida (ATAF) College/University Athletic Trainer of the Year Award (2001).

In his leisure time, Dr. Castle enjoys fishing, hunting, and spending time with family. He and his wife (Katherine) and son (William) reside in Baton Rouge.