Ronnie Harper, Ed.D., LAT, ATC, NREMT

Ronnie is the former Head Athletic Trainer at Dutchtown High School. He was the original Athletic Trainer with an 18 year tenure at Dutchtown High School. He currently teaches EMR and EMT at Dutchtown High and provides Middle School Athletic Training Services for Ascension Parish Middle Schools.

Ronnie has worked in higher education for 14 years with tenures at Mississippi State University, University of Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana University. At Southeastern Louisiana University, Ronnie was an Assistant Professor and Program Director of a CAATE Accredited Athletic Training Education Program. Ronnie received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University and a Doctor of Education from the University of Alabama in Health and Human Performance Studies. 

Ronnie’s initiatives while serving on the NATA Secondary School Committee representing District IX helped to establish the Athletic Training Location and Services Project (ATLAS)  and the Safe Sports School Awards (SSSA). He is also a lead author on the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) project Program Assessment for Safety in Sport (PASS).

Ronnie’s passion for helping athletes improve their eating habits can be traced back to the beginning of his tenure at Dutchtown High School. In 2012, he co-founded My Sports Dietitian (MSD) www.mysportsd.com, an online sports nutrition company that provides athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, strength coaches, and parents with the tools needed to improve an athlete's eating habits, and overall health and wellness.

Ronnie is actively involved in the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Association (LATA) serving on the Hall of Fame and Secondary School committees. A 2013 LATA Hall of Fame inductee was a highlight in his career. In addition, he received the District IX High School Athletic Trainer of the Year Award for 2018.

He is married to Penny Harper for 26 years and have 3 children, Jodie Waaso, Grand Rapides, MI; Honey Martin, Denham Springs, LA and Nick Harper, Gonzales, LA.