Rick Larsen enters his 32nd year as a member of the athletic department staff at Washington University in St. Louis, and 28th as the Bears Head Athletic Trainer.
Larsen's duties include the organization, supervision and administration of the athletic training facility and overseeing the University's 19-sport varsity intercollegiate athletic program He will sever as the main contact for football, men's basketball and men's tennis.
He served as the assistant athletic trainer on the Danforth Campus from 1981-85 prior to his promotion. From 1982-86, Larsen also served as the head baseball coach at Washington University, compiling a 113-91-3 record and leading the squad to the first two NCAA Tournament appearances in school history.
Larsen has also spent time in professional sports as he served as the part-time athletic trainer for the St. Louis Football Cardinals from 1982-87 and the head athletic trainer for the St. Louis Stampede arena football team from 1995-96.
He also served as the coordinator of medical services for the A.A.U. National Junior Olympics in 1986 and was the athletic training coordinator for the United States National Senior Olympics in 1989. Most recently, Larsen served as the athletic trainer for the making of the movie "The Game of Their Lives" in 2003.
He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and was the starting shortstop for three years for the Badger's baseball team. He then earned his master's degree in physical education from Syracuse University in 1981.
Larsen, An active member of the National Athletic Training Association (NATA), is married to Debbie Larsen. The couple has two children, Lindsay (27) and Brian (23).