Robert Behnke

S. Behnke, HSD, is retired after 39 years of teaching anatomy, kinesiology, physical education, and athletic training courses. Behnke has been honored on several occasions for excellence in teaching—including receiving the Educator of the Year Award from the National Athletic Trainers' Association. During his 11-year tenure as chair of the NATA Professional Education Committee, he initiated the petition to the American Medical Association that led to the national accreditation process for entry-level athletic training education programs.

Dr. Behnke spent most of his career at Indiana State University, where he was a full professor of physical education and athletic training and director of undergraduate and graduate athletic training programs. Earlier in his career he spent five years teaching at the secondary level. He has extensive experience as an athletic trainer, both in high schools and at the university level, serving as head athletic trainer at Illinois State University from 1966 to 1969 and the University of Illinois from 1969 to 1973. He was an athletic trainer at the 1983 World University Games and for the U.S. men's Olympic basketball trials in 1984. During sabbaticals in 1982 and 1989, he served as an athletic trainer for boxing, men's field hockey, team handball, ice skating, roller hockey, gymnastics, judo, and cycling at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He has been in demand as a speaker and an athletic trainer throughout the United States and internationally.

These broad experiences enabled Dr. Behnke to understand the needs of undergraduate students—and to develop an unparalleled grasp of which pedagogical approaches work and which do not. Kinetic Anatomy is the culmination of his unique understanding; it should be a staple in undergraduate courses for years to come.