In 1960 David Adams came from southern Indiana to attend David Lipscomb College. He was the student athletic trainer for five years. One year when he wasn’t in school, he worked as a volunteer student athletic trainer. There was no athletic trainer, so David learned his trade from the basketball coach and the Cramer materials. After graduating with B.S. in Health and Physical Education he went to Abilene Christian College for one semester where he was the athletic trainer as a graduate student. In January of 1967 he when to Indiana University and after three semester received a M.S. degree in Health and Safety with an emphasis in athletic training. At IU he worked with three NATA Hall of Fame athletic trainers, Spike Dixion, Warren Ariail, and Tom Healin. He worked with Warren Ariail and the1967 Indiana University football Rose Bowl team as a graduate assistant. David returned to Lipscomb in 1968 where he remained until retiring in 2006.
After returning to Lipscomb in 1968 there were student who were fellow students when David was a student. The Athletic Director didn’t want student athletes calling David by his first name and Mr. Adams was a little formal, so the AD started calling David “Doc” Adams and the name stuck. In 1975 the title became correct when David received his HSD (doctor of Health and Safety) degree from IU. At a small school people ware many “hats.” David was athletic trainer, taught courses in the department of Health and Physical, was in charge of the laundry room, for 8 years was in charge of the tackle football intramural program, and for five years was the ground keeper for the baseball field.
In 1977, David left the athletic training room to become a full time college teacher. He was still active in the athletic profession, serving as vice president of the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society (TATS) from 1978 to 1983, and chair of legislative committee 1978-2001. While Chair of Legislative Committee David was involved with the passing of legislation to certified athletic trainer in Tennessee , 1983, and three sequent state bill for athletic training.
As a full time teacher in Health and Physical Education David was involved with the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD) serving as president 1990, Vice-president for Health 1986, Health Education section chair 1980, Safety section chair 1983, and editor for the Journal of TAHPERD 1985-1993.
In 2000 David became the active Director for the undergraduate Athletic Training Educational Program at Lipscomb University. A position he held for five and one half years. From 1997 to 2001 and 2005, 2007, David worked as a volunteer athletic trainer for the Nashville Kats, Arena football team. David was the host athletic trainer for the state meeting of TATS for seven years, and was the host athletic trainer for the NATABOC exam for five years.
Awards include, from TAHPERD; Honor Award (1989) President’s Award (1989, 1990, & 2003). Health Professional of the Year, College/University 1998. From TATS; Sports Medicine Person of the Year (1990), Hall of Fame (1996) and President’s Award of Merit 2003. From NATA, the Service Award 1997. For work in developing a physical fitness program for the fire department of Nashville, Mayor Richard Fulton declared June 27, 1983 as “Dr. David Adams Day in Nashville.”