Akira Kondo was named the assistant athletic trainer at Hood College in April 2005 and was promoted to head athletic trainer in the summer of 2008. Kondo came to Hood from Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., where he served as a staff athletic trainer. Prior to working at Pima, he served as a graduate assistant at the University of Akron, providing injury prevention, care and treatment to NCAA Division I student-athletes.

Kondo, who played soccer at Chowan College, received his bachelor's degree in athletic training/sports medicine and his master's degree in exercise physiology/adult fitness from Akron. He has four years of experience working with highly competitive athletes.

Kondo is certified by and a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association and American Red Cross for FA/CPR/AED instructor and professional rescuer. He is also a member of the Maryland Athletic Trainers' Association and the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers' Association.

Kondo, a native of Tokyo, Japan, has worked major events such as the NJCAA Division I Softball National Championship (2004), the U.S. Youth Soccer Championship Series (2004) and the NCAA Division I Track & Field National Championship (2003), among others.

Jennie Bowker is starting her third year as part of the Hood College athletic training staff and first as a full-time assistant. Before coming to Hood, Bowker worked as an intern athletic trainer at Charlotte Country Day School in North Carolina. She has also spent some time working as an assistant teacher at a school for children with special needs.

Bowker received her bachelor's degree in athletic training from Campbell University. Prior to that she attended and played soccer at Montgomery College.

Bowker is a certified athletic trainer and a member of the National Association of Athletic Trainers. She also holds a CPR/AED certification.

Bowker completed her master's degree in Human Sciences at Hood College in May 2008.

Willie Prince joined the Blazer sports medicine staff as a graduate assistant prior to the 2008 fall season. Originally from Detroit, Mich., Prince earned a bachelor of science degree in education, sports management and athletic training/clinic management from Bowling Green State University in August. He interned with the University of Detroit-Mercy sports medicine staff during his senior year. Prince was a member of the Black Student Union, the National Society of Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi) and played intramural basketball at Bowling Green.