(Rochester, NY) – The Rochester Americans announced that assistant athletic trainer Kent Weisbeck has been named the Amerks’ winner of the IOA/American Specialty Person of the Year Award for the 2021-22 season.
Currently in his remarkable 36th season with the Amerks, Weisbeck has had to overcome several health issues over the last few seasons to continue his passion of treating and caring for the Amerks players, even amid a global pandemic.
Weisbeck has also played an integral role the last few years in providing exceptional treatment as well as assisting in the administration and enforcement of the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, allowing the organization and league to continue operating in a safe and effective manner.
Over his 35-plus seasons with the Amerks, Weisbeck has worked more than 2,500 games, earned two Calder Cup rings (1987 and 1996) and has worked in the Calder Cup Finals on five other occasions.
On March 10, 2019, Weisbeck reached an unprecedented professional milestone, working his 2,500th game with Amerks. Prior to the game against Binghamton, the organization honored him with a plaque and custom jersey commemorating his career achievement.
During the 2016 offseason, the longtime member of the Amerks organization was honored by the Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society/Society of Professional Hockey Equipment Managers (PHATS/SPHEM) with the Career Achievement Alumni Award in recognition of his dedication and excellence in his field. In August of 2016, Weisbeck was inducted into the Frontier Field Walk of Fame as a member of the Class of 2016. Since 1997, a special section at the center of Frontier Field’s Walk of Fame has been designated to Rochester’s sports legends. These individuals (fans, players, management and media spanning Rochester’s sports history) are those who have made a monumental impact on the community through their achievements in the Rochester-area sports scene.
During the 2009-10 season, his 25th consecutive year of service to the organization, “Snacky” became the first-ever athletic trainer in the 66-year history of the franchise to be inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame. He was honored as the 48th member of the prestigious club, joining former Amerks head coach Randy Cunneyworth and defenseman Jim Wiemer as part of the Class of 2010.
Weisbeck worked one day in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, but the rest of his hours, days and years have been in Rochester.
Weisbeck has twice had the distinction of serving as a trainer at the AHL All-Star Classic. His first time on the bench came during the 2000 All-Star Classic hosted in Rochester at The Blue Cross Arena. He was also selected as head athletic trainer for the Western Conference All-Star team for the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic in Hershey. He was selected by the American Hockey League based upon his many years of excellence and dedicated service to the AHL and the City of Rochester.
