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Bulls Head Athletic Trainer Fred Tedeschi has been named the recipient of the 2012-13 Joe O’Toole NBA Athletic Trainer of the Year.
It marks the second time Tedeschi won the award – he also claimed it in 2007 – which is voted on by the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association, comprised of head and assistant athletic trainers from the NBA’s 30 teams.
“We are lucky to count Fred among our ranks and consider him one of our leaders,” said Casey Smith, Chairman of the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association.
“Fred is very deserving of this award,” said Bulls General Manager Gar Forman of Tedeschi, who has been with the organization for 15 seasons. “He’s been a valuable member of our team for many years and his excellent work is appreciated by our players and everyone in the organization. It’s great to see him get this recognition.”
The award recipient is chosen each year by peers to be recognized for exemplary achievement or outstanding service to the NBA, National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association (NBATA), or his community. It is named after Joe O’Toole, a long time former head athletic trainer of the Atlanta Hawks, long regarded as the father of the NBATA.
“The membership of the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association have recognized Fred, not only for his outstanding service to the Chicago Bulls, but also for his leadership, commitment and mentoring within our membership itself,” said Casey Smith, Chairman of the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association and head athletic trainer for the Dallas Mavericks. “We are lucky to count Fred among our ranks and consider him one of our leaders.”
Tedeschi was hired by the Bulls on Aug. 6, 1998. Prior to coming to Chicago, he was the head athletic trainer at the University of California-Berkeley for four years, a stint preceded by three years in the same capacity at Vanderbilt.
Tedeschi began his career as a training assistant with the San Francisco 49ers in 1983. He left for a year to serve as head athletic trainer for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s volleyball teams in 1985, but returned to the 49ers where he spent a span of seven years that included Super Bowl titles in 1985, 1989 and 1990.