Kay Mitchell Emigh's passion for sports and medicine intersected the summer of 1976 prior to her sophomore year at EF. In the mid-70's, Elizabeth Forward Girls' Basketball program was a dominant one in western Pennsylvania. In 1975, the EF Girls basketball team was the WPIAL Champions and PIAA State Runner-up. Her desire to be a part of the winning program was hindered by physical obstacles so Sandy and John Hearn presented the idea of becoming a student athletic trainer. The summer of 1976, she attended a Cramer Athletic Training Workshop at the University of Pittsburgh and you can say the rest is history.
During her high school years, Emigh served as the student athletic trainer for Girls' Volleyball, Girls' Basketball, and Track & Field. In addition, she was a member of the Warrior Marching Band and Bowling Club.
Emigh earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Education at Slippery Rock State College with an emphasis in Athletic Training. In fact, she did her student teaching in 1983 at Elizabeth Forward High School with Mrs. Hearn serving as her supervising teacher. In 1986, she added a Masters degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Administration from Slippery Rock University.
In 1983, Emigh earned a national Certification in Athletic Training by the National Athletic Trainers Association. She was grandfathered in as a Licensed Athletic Trainer in the state of Pennsylvania in 2003.
Emigh was called to be the first athletic trainer in the history of Grove City College (GCC) Athletics. Grove City is a member of the NCAA, competing at the Division III level. During her 32- year career there, she established a highly respected Sports Medicine program providing health care for student-athletes participating in 19 intercollegiate sports. This involved developing policies and procedures such as: Pre-participation Physicals; Emergency Action Plan; Injury Evaluation; Rehabilitation; Emergency Care; Event Coverage; Concussion Management; Heat Illness; Lightening Safety; Sudden Cardiac Arrest; Sickle Cell Trait; and Mental Health. In addition, she was an Assistant Professor of Physical Education. During her time at GCC she was awarded the inaugural "Above and Beyond Award" given to the individual that demonstrates behavior or produced results, above and beyond normal job expectations.
In 2014, she was selected as an Athletic Trainer representative to the Inaugural NCAA Division III Sports Medicine Summit. Her professional organizations included membership in the National Athletic Trainers Association; College Athletic Trainers Society; Eastern Athletic Trainers Association; and Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society. She served as the Northwest Representative on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society. Upon her retirement in 2017 the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society awarded her the inaugural "Unsung Hero Award". This award is given to the person who throughout their career exemplified the character of commitment that defines excellence in athletic training. Throughout her entire career she genuinely cared about her student athletes.
Emigh currently resides in Sun City Center, Florida with her husband Tom, who unconditionally supported her Athletic Training career and the crazy athletic schedules. In addition, her late parents, Betty and Mitch were unwavering with their support. She is grateful for her sister, Kathy who was a member of the 1975 and 1977 EF Girls Basketball state runner-up teams (Best In The West) and who influenced her desire to be a part of the team. She also is appreciative of the support both personally and financially provided by her late parents; grateful for the coaches, AD's, SID's and medical staff from Grove City College who were wonderful colleagues and are now lifelong friends; and last but not least, the Hearns who gave her the passion for athletic training that allowed her to make a difference in the lives of others and a lifetime of memories.