May 17, 2006
Normal, Ill. -
After 14 years on the athletic training staff at Illinois State, John Munn is succeeding his mentor, Kathy Schniedwind, as head athletic trainer for the Redbirds' 19-sport program. Munn will officially take over June 1, as Schniedwind retires after 30 years with Redbird Athletics.
Dr. Sheahon Zenger, Illinois State athletics director, looks forward to a seamless transition for Redbird athletics training.
"Normally, you would think replacing a legend like Kathy Schniedwind would be a monumental task," said Zenger, "but John's years of dedicated service to Illinois State student-athletes, his leadership ability and his skills as an athletics trainer made this an easy decision and will make it a smooth transition."
Munn, a native of Monroe, N.C., has approached his jobs as an assistant athletics trainer (1992-97) and associate athletic trainer (1997-2006) with a generous mix of professionalism and dedication, and spiced with an engaging sense of humor.
He described the moment when he realized what being an athletic trainer was all about. Munn's 12 years as trainer for Redbird men's basketball began when he worked with Kevin Stallings (now head basketball coach at Vanderbilt) with some outstanding Redbird teams in the mid-1990s. Rico Hill, one of the best Redbird players of that decade, suffered a foot injury during the early part of one season and his availability was in doubt.
"I'll never forget what Kevin said to me," said Munn. "He told me `John, your most important job is to get Rico Hill back in the lineup as soon as possible ... and your other most important job is to make sure he doesn't come back too soon because we can't afford to lose him for the season.' Right there, Kevin pretty much defined the job of athletic trainer."
Munn's start in the business came, literally, because of a t-shirt. As a freshman at Wake Forest in 1985, Munn noticed a female student wearing a `Wake Forest Sports Medicine' t-shirt coming out of his biology class.
"I asked her `where can I get one of those shirts?'" said Munn. "Well, she explained to me that you had to work in athletic training to get one and she also mentioned that the other freshman student trainer was in the process of giving up his role. I went and talked to (then-Wake head trainer) Steve Yates. He took me in and the rest, as they say, is history."
Munn stuck with the Wake Forest athletic training staff through graduation in 1990. He worked for the Danville, Va., YMCA for a year, then applied to the Indiana University graduate program in athletic training. Munn earned his master's degree from IU in 1992 and went right to work for Illinois State.
"I was pretty lucky to get in at Indiana, but had the opportunity to work with the IU football program during my time in graduate school," said Munn. "Kathy (Schniedwind) was an IU alum herself and I think that may have helped me get a shot at Illinois State."
In addition to Redbird men's basketball, where he has worked with three head coaches, Munn has had primary responsibility for spring football, baseball, golf and track and field at times during his tenure at Illinois State. He claims to have learned that, while athletic trainers are primarily responsible for dealing with student-athlete health and well-being, it's a job that requires plenty of friends and colleagues.
For Munn, that list starts with Schniedwind, a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame.
"There's a reason she's a hall-of-famer. To put it simply, she cares. When someone on her staff is having a hard time, she can relate," said Munn. "You don't have a big enough piece of paper to make a list all the things I have to be thankful to Kathy Schniedwind for. But, the bottom line is, she cares about people."
Although the 6-foot-3 Munn may have much larger feet than his predecessor - Schniedwind isn't much over five-feet tall - he won't even try to fill her shoes.
"Nobody can replace a Kathy Schniedwind and what she means to Illinois State athletics," said Munn. "All we can do is recognize that athletics, like everything else in life, is constantly changing and we need to be prepared enough and dedicated enough to meet the challenges those changes bring. I'm looking forward to being able to add a little something to what Kathy and others have built here."
The staff of Central Illinois doctors on call to care for Illinois State student-athletes also draws Munn's applause.
"Our doctors are just great," said Munn. "They care about our student-athletes. They are not only doctors for Redbird Athletics, but some of our biggest fans as well."
He also values a working relationship with Dr. Todd McLoda and the faculty of the academic program in athletics training in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation at Illinois State.
"Todd McLoda and the academic people have done a great job helping students develop as athletic trainers," said Munn. "We enjoy being part of that."
Senior Associate Athletics Director Larry Lyons is glad Munn will remain an important part of Redbird Athletics.
"John deserves the opportunity to move into the leadership roll," said Lyons. "He is a skilled athletic trainer, very detailed and a good communicator. I look forward to working with him on a day-to-day basis."
Munn and his wife, Janet, have two sons: John, 4 ½ and Andrew, 2 ½. Munn has an appreciation for the quality of understanding it takes to be the spouse of someone working in college athletics.
"I have the best wife in the world," said Munn. "She has to put up with a lot ... it's something only the spouses of coaches, administrators and staff in college athletics can identify with. You have to be incredibly understanding."
