The Story of the ECHL Athletic Trainer of the Year – Jordan Dutton

The Allen Americans added to their treasure trove of 2023 post season awards this week when the ECHL announced Jordan Dutton had been selected in a vote of his peers around the league as the Athletic Trainer of the Year. Jordan adds his name to the long list of post season recognition for the Americans. Allen has more postseason awards than any other team in the league. Here is the list:

• Jordan Dutton – Athletic Trainer of the Year
• Hank Crone – Most Valuable Player
• Hank Crone – Rookie of the Year
• Hank Crone – Scoring Champion
• Hank Crone – All Rookie Team
• Hank Crone – All ECHL Team
• Liam Finlay – All Rookie Team
• Jack Combs – All ECHL Team

– To win an award that is voted on by your peers in always a special honor and for Jordan, who has been around the Allen Americans since he was 17 it is especially satisfying. He is the first trainer in Allen franchise history to be selected Athletic Trainer of the Year. Here is what coach Costello had to say about Jordan being honored, “This is very well deserved, both the staff and the players love him. His work ethic is great his personality is great. We look at him as a big part of the team. I am very proud and happy for him.

– The story of Jordan’s journey with the Allen Americans starts before the team had ever played a game. He was a 17-year-old still in high school at Plano Senior High. He went to a team autograph event at Dodie’s in October of 2009. During the event the Allen staff handed out cards for attendees to express interest in tickets or employment opportunities. I checked employment opportunities and talked to one of the employees at the event and told him I wanted to become an athletic trainer when I was older and he told me I needed to talk to Allen’s trainer, Brent Woodside, (who is now the athletic trainer for the AHL Colorado Eagles).

– As Jordan told me, “I talked to Woodside and told him I wanted to be an athletic trainer. He said he could use someone to help fill water bottles and setup before games and I said absolutely. We talked several times over the next couple of weeks and he invited me to come and help him work the first game. I still remember it because the game was in the Community Rink against the Texas Brahmas. That was the start and from that I would work games filling up water bottles, setting up the benches, helping the visitors and helping the equipment guy at the time. It all grew from that random fan event at Dodie’s.”

– From that team autograph event on 2009 Jordan has been a part of the Allen Americans family ever since. He always stayed in contact with the team as he made his way through college and helped out whenever his schedule and timing worked out. He has worked with almost every trainer in Allen franchise history which makes this Trainer of the Year honor so special because he learned from all of them.

– Here is a recap from the ECHL press release of Jordan’s Allen Americans journey from that 17-year-old high school kid to a master’s degree in athletic training to the ECHL Athletic Trainer of the Year. All this and he is a fun guy to be around:

– Dutton began working as a student athletic trainer for the Americans in 2009, and during his time in Allen, he has been a part of championship teams in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He received his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2017 from the University of North Texas, where he worked with the football and men’s basketball teams. Dutton then moved on to Texas Tech University, receiving a master’s degree in athletic training. While at Texas Tech, he worked with the Red Raiders’ baseball team, which earned the Big 12 championship in 2019 and advanced to the College World Series. He returned to the Americans for the 2019-20 season, and recently concluded his fourth season as the team’s head athletic trainer.

– Question: What is your best memory of your time with the Allen Americans?

Answer: There are so many! There are a lot of road trips on Big Red (bus) that bring up many crazy memories. My first championship with the team was the 2014 Presidents’ Cup in the CHL. That was great fun for me and there were a lot of great guys on that team. I wasn’t as involved in the first Kelly Cup (2015) because of school, but the second Kelly Cup in 2016 I was a lot more involved so got to know the guys and that was an amazing championship. That was the year I got to meet Costy, Gens, Steffes and Giller who are still involved with the team.

– Question: Have you heard from a lot of people from the past?

Answer:  That has been the best and will be the most memorable parts of being recognized as Trainer of the Year. Over the last few days, I have heard from so many people from the past. Former players in Allen and around the league, former coaches, equipment managers, trainers and that has been very special.

– Question: Where do you see yourself three years from now?

Answer: I like where I am at! Allen has always been home to me and I like what has been built here. I have really enjoyed working with Costy and Tony (equipment manager) and the people upstairs. I feel like I have been part of taking the next step and I want to be part of it going forward. I really don’t see myself anywhere else. This is home, my family is here and I can’t imagine myself anywhere else for the foreseeable future.

Question: What do you like to do away from hockey. Any plans for the summer?

Answer: I enjoy spending time with my family who live in Justin, Texas, near Fort Worth. My interests include photography, hiking and hanging out with my dog, Waylon. I will be getting away this summer for sure. I plan to visit Montana (Bozeman and Three Forks). I will visit Yellowstone National Park for a week and spend a few days in Glacier National Park taking in all of the spectacular views. I will be doing some country musical festivals and will attend the Cheyenne Frontier Days. I am a big fan of country music and rodeo.

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