David Yeager, EdD, LAT, ATC, CSCS

Adjunct Instructor
 Master's in Athletic Training
dwyeager@jsu.edu 

Dr. David Yeager is a high-performance consultant, educator, and clinician with more than three decades of experience in athletic training, sports medicine, and performance optimization. Following over 20 years in professional baseball, including over 10 seasons as Major League Assistant Athletic Trainer and later Special Assistant–High Performance with the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club—he now serves as a consultant to athletic organizations seeking to improve athlete health, performance, organizational decision-making, and clinical excellence. During his tenure with the Brewers, he was a member of the medical staff recognized with the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) Martin-Monahan Award in consecutive seasons (2014 and 2015), an unprecedented achievement at the time. Lastly, David and his family make their home in Athens, Alabama.

David Yeager

Courses Taught

AT 5223: Medical Documentation and Informatics
AT 5742: Evidence-Based Practice in Athletic Training

Education

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Auburn University, a Master of Science in Physical Education from Jacksonville State University, and a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Health Professions from A.T. Still University. He is board certified as an Athletic Trainer (ATC) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

Academic/Research Interests

Dr. Yeager’s scholarly work focuses on the science of clinical expertise and decision-making in high-performance sport. His research interests include:
  • Clinical judgment and expertise development
  • Evidence-based practice
  • Athlete workload and adaptation
  • Injury risk assessment
  • Medical decision support systems
  • Health informatics, performance analytics, and organizational capability in sports medicine
He is the developer of the High-Performance Clinician Development Framework (HPCDF), a conceptual model designed to improve clinician development by intentionally cultivating expert clinical judgment and decision quality. His broader work integrates data analytics, systems thinking, and implementation science to help clinicians and organizations make better decisions that improve athlete availability, performance, and long-term organizational outcomes.

Other Responsibilities

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Yeager remains active in professional service as Chair of the Internship Committee for the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS), where he mentors future athletic trainers and contributes to the advancement of the profession through education and leadership. He continues to consult with professional, collegiate, and amateur sport organizations on high-performance strategy, clinician development, injury risk management, and organizational effectiveness.