NIU’s College of Continuing Education is holding a three-day conference for athletes, coaches and those interested in sports medicine beginning Friday.

“We have speakers covering every aspect (of athletic medicine) from head to toe,” Continuing Education Program Coordinator Lynnea Johnson said.

The conference, entitled Sports Medicine Institute, will feature 18 speakers from the northern Illinois area. Johnson said the list of speakers includes dermatologists, podiatrists, physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons. NIU Legal Counsel George Shur is one of the speakers.

“This is our first conference and we hope to have about 100 people,” Johnson said. About 75 people currently are registered for the conference.

Institute director Bruce McAllister said the conference will focus on new and current concepts in sports medicine. “(The conference) will look at sports medicine of today and of the future,” he said.

Some of the topics to be covered are effective training techniques, injury prevention, nutrition in sports, modern treatment of athletic shoulder injury and sports medicine education.

McAllister said the conference will benefit students, nurses, physical therapists and anyone who deals with athletes.

e said the college was prompted to conduct the conference because “(NIU) doesn’t do much in this area (sports medicine) at such a low cost.”

The cost for the conference is $45 for students and $60 for all others. McAllister said a conference of this kind usually costs $250, which would prevent students from attending.