Athletic Trainer Windee Skrabanek is recognized from pool of 6,405 nominations for 24 years of service, life-saving response, and profound community impact
DALLAS — April 16, 2026 — Perry Weather, the host of the annual Athletic Trainer Excellence Awards, announced that Windee Skrabanek, Head Athletic Trainer at Temple High School in Temple, Texas, is the winner of the 2026 Perry Weather Athletic Trainer Excellence Award.
Skrabanek was selected from more than 6,405 nominations submitted nationwide, representing thousands of athletic trainers across every level of sport, from middle schools and high schools to colleges and professional organizations. Her nominations came from former athletes, parents, colleagues, and community members spanning more than two decades.
“For every life-saving moment an athletic trainer gets credit for, there are thousands of quiet moments no one sees. The taped ankles, the late-night check-ins, and the countless conversations with students. Windee’s 24 years at Temple represent all of it, and we couldn’t be more proud to present her with the 2026 Athletic Trainer Excellence Award,” said Colin Perry, Founder & CEO of Perry Weather.
Skrabanek’s selection was supported by her colleagues at Temple ISD, where she has spent more than two decades shaping the district’s athletic training program.
“There’s not a harder worker. I’ve been around a lot of athletic trainers, and there is not one that cares more about kids or has a more genuine passion for the work than she does,” said Steve Prentiss, Athletic Director at Temple ISD.
Two Decades of Impact at Temple High School
Skrabanek has served as Head Athletic Trainer at Temple High School for nearly a quarter century, building the district’s athletic training program from three student trainers into one of the most respected in Texas, now serving more than 30 students.
In 2016, Skrabanek’s training and preparation were tested in the most serious way possible when a Temple High School football player collapsed in cardiac arrest on the 30-yard line during a game. Her immediate CPR and AED response saved the athlete’s life. Ten years later, the student’s mother submitted a nomination to this year’s award program that opened with eight words:
“This Athletic Trainer saved my son’s life.”
Skrabanek’s impact extends far beyond emergency response. Her student athletic training program has grown tenfold under her leadership, with former student trainers now pursuing careers as certified athletic trainers, coaches, and healthcare professionals. She partners with orthopedic physicians to give her students hands-on clinical exposure and has built a community presence that includes sock drives for the local homeless shelter, nursing home visits, and mentorship programs reaching into Temple ISD’s middle schools.
What Her Community Says About Her
Across dozens of nominations from parents, athletes, colleagues, and administrators, one theme recurred: Skrabanek’s impact extends well beyond the training room.
“Coach Skrabanek is the heartbeat of Temple athletics,” wrote Kelli Hesse, a Temple ISD parent and teacher who has watched all three of her children pass through Skrabanek’s care. “She loves the athletes as if they were her own children. She is a rock star!”
That sentiment was echoed across nearly every nomination. Colleagues described not just a skilled clinician, but a person whose presence fundamentally changed the environment around her.
“I’ve never met anyone in my life who works more tirelessly and with such joy in the service of others, students and adults alike,” wrote Linda, a Temple ISD community member.
For many, the impact is deeply personal. Nominators described a trainer who showed up at hospitals, advocated for athletes at doctor visits when parents couldn’t be there, and remained a steady presence in students’ lives long after they graduated.
“She has a love for helping people and is the most SELFLESS human I know,” wrote Chris, a Temple ISD community member. “We are better because of her and her service.”
The 2026 Awards by the Numbers
The 2026 Perry Weather Athletic Trainer Excellence Award drew record participation:
- 6,405 total nominations submitted nationwide
- 34 athletic trainers credited with lifesaving actions in their nominations
- 586 nominations referenced rehabilitation work
- 407 nominations described recipients as mentors
- 177 nominations highlighted trainers working after-hours, late nights, or weekends on behalf of their athletes
- 179 nominations used the word “family” to describe the nominee’s relationship with their community
About Perry Weather
Perry Weather is a weather safety platform trusted by major professional sports leagues, top general contractors, and leading energy companies to protect athletes and workers from weather-related risks. Through its combined software and hardware solutions, Perry Weather delivers real-time monitoring and alerting for lightning, heat stress, and other environmental hazards. Perry Weather is headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has been recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company. Learn more at perryweather.com.
Read more about the Athletic Trainer Excellence Awards here.
