Tom Ford enters his 21^st season in 2007-08 with the athletics department at Oakland University. Ford, OU’s head athletics trainer, is responsible for the sports medicine program and overseeing the athletic training and strength conditioning programs at Oakland University.

Ford supervises a staff of three full-time athletic trainers and several student trainers.

Ford, a native of Nashua, New Hampshire, came to Oakland University after serving as head athletic trainer at Cypress Creek High School in Houston, Texas (1982-88). Prior to his stint at CCHS, Ford was an assistant athletics trainer with the Dallas Cowboys (1982) and a head athletic trainer at Sabino High School (1981-82) in Tucson, Arizona.

The Rochester Hills resident has also worked at the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival and Olympic Training Center with men’s ice hockey, and with the speedskaters at the Winter World University Games in Bulgaria.

A graduate of Ball State University, Ford received his bachelor’s degree in physical education and health/athletic training in 1981. Ford received his master’s degree in physical education and health/athletic training and sports medicine from the University of Arizona in 1982.

While a student at BSU, Ford was a student athletic trainer for four years and was a member of the Ball State Sports Medicine Club.

Ford is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, certified (1982-present), National Strength and Conditioning Association, certified (1988-present), Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association (1988-present) and Michigan Athletic Trainers Society (1988-present).