Longtime Western Kentucky athletic trainer Mike Gaddie moved up in 2017 to become the school's associate athletic director for sports medicine and athletic training and director of athletics Scott Stewart explained why.
"For nearly two decades, Mike has been an integral member of our athletic training operation and has positively impacted the lives of so many WKU student-athletes," Stewart said then to WKUSports.com. "I have the same faith in Mike's ability to care for our student-athletes as they do, and it is a well-earned promotion for Mike and his family."
Gaddie made it to Western Kentucky after first a five-season career as a trainer in the minors, all spent with the Cardinals.
Gaddie started with the Cardinals in 1989 in the rookie Arizona League, while still in College at Murray State University. He moved to rookie Johnson City for 1990 and stayed there through 1993. He got his bachelor's degree by 1992.
He then moved to the Regional Medical Center of Madisonville in Kentucky as outreach coordinator. He spoke at a local sports medicine symposium in 1994.
"It's very important that you go out there and teach you kids how to throw" properly," Gaddie told those there, according to The Madisonville Messenger.
He joined Western Kentucky in 2000, working with its basketball team. In 2010, he watched over basketball player Kene Anyigbo, a player with Type 1 diabetes, The Park City Daily News wrote.
"Watching him go through everything he goes through is tough on me, because I want to do everything I can to keep him playing because that's what he wants to do," Gaddie told The Daily News. "But at the same time, I'm the guy who has to say 'Kene, no,' and pull him out sometimes. And that's really tough."
Gaddie continues at Western Kentucky in 2024, in the position of senior executive director of sports medicine and student-athlete welfare.
- Madisonville Messenger, June 21, 1994: Trainer pitching for safer pitch
- Park City Daily News, Dec. 16, 2010: Anyigbo constantly monitored by trainer Mike Gaddie
- WKUSports.com, June 8, 2017: Mike Gaddie promoted to associate athletic director for sports medicine and athletic training
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