Athletic Trainer Earns Rising Star Award

South Country School District’s head athletic trainer, Gina Harris, has been recognized with a prestigious Henry Schein Medical Athletics and Schools 2023 Rising Star Award.

Harris was recognized as a distinguished athletic trainer following an application and nomination process. She was nominated by Bellport High School junior Brynn Johnson, who participates in a training program in which she shadows Harris.

"The entire South Country school community is lucky to have the honor to call Gina Harris our athletic trainer,” said Patrick Hayes, the district’s director of health and physical education. “Mrs. Harris goes above and beyond on a daily basis to ensure that all athletes remain safe and return to play as quickly as possible. For her, it is more than a job; it is about the longstanding relationships that are forged here at Bellport High School. You cannot help but think of Gina when you hear of Bellport athletics.”

In honoring Harris, Henry Schein Athletics noted a few of her many contributions to Bellport High School, including running the athletic department’s rehabilitation programs, attending doctor’s appointments with her athletes, establishing a cardiac screening day for athletes, creating a summer workout program and developing her own work-based learning program, where students have the opportunity to shadow her.

South Country School District’s head athletic trainer, Gina Harris, has been recognized with a prestigious Henry Schein Medical Athletics and Schools 2023 Rising Star Award

“I feel incredibly fortunate for the opportunity to make a greater impact and to be an ambassador for this astounding profession,” Harris said of the recognition. “Thank you to Henry Schein Athletics and my community for recognizing me as the 2023 Rising Star. I'm honored to have even been nominated, and I'm beyond proud to be given a chance to represent such a supportive community.”

Harris, who started her career in South Country in August 2017, completed her undergraduate studies at SUNY Cortland and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in athletic training in 2013. She worked as an assistant athletic trainer at LIU Brooklyn while working on her Master of Science in exercise physiology and sports nutrition. As part of the LIU program, she worked with high-caliber athletes, including two-time Olympic medalist and world champion Brendon Rodney.

Harris is currently enrolled in a Master of Science program at Northeast College of Health Sciences to specialize in applied clinical nutrition and improve the necessary skills involved with injury prevention, recovery and sport performance.

The South Country School District extends its congratulations to Gina Harris on her impressive achievement.