Karl Kapchinski serves Texas A&M as an assistant athletic director in charge of athletic training for 20 sports teams. A Former Student, A&M class of '79, he became the head athletic trainer in 1982. Karl leads one of the most reputable sports medicine staffs in the country and was selected by his peers as the 2005 NCAA Division I Athletic Trainer of the Year.

Kapchinski supervises a staff of 10 athletic trainers, a physical therapist, and a nutritionist. Karl represents his department as a member the senior administrative staff reporting to athletic director Dr. John Thornton.

His other administrative duties include directing the department's drug testing program, maintaining the operational budget, managing medical payments, inventory and equipment for all the athletic training facilities. While active as an athletic trainer for all men's and women's sports, Kapchinski's primary emphasis remains with football.

Kapchinski also played an instrumental role in the planning and design of the world-class athletic training room in the Bright Football Complex, Little Sports Complex, the Cox-McFerrin Center for Aggie Basketball and the new Blue Bell Park Olsen Field Athletic Training facility.  The athletic training rooms which Kapchinski oversees are considered to be some of the top facilities in the country- collegiate or professional. They feature a Hydroworx 2000 rehab pool, a Hydroworx 1200, a full complement of state of the art treatment modalities, a digital x-ray system, diagnostic ultrasound and fluoroscan units.  

In 1999 & 2009 Kapchinski and his A&M associates received the Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, the highest citation given by the Big 12 Conference to athletic trainers. Within the Big 12, Karl, former chairman of the Big 12 Medical Aspects of Sport Committee, now serves as the sponsorship chair.  He is also active as the exhibits chair for the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association.

Kapchinski graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M in 1979 with a degree in health and physical education. Upon graduation, Karl became head athletic trainer at Alief Elsik High School. After three years he returned to Texas A&M to work with Hall of Fame Athletic Trainer Billy Pickard, eventually succeeding him as the Head Athletic Trainer in 1982.

Born in Bryan, Texas, Kapchinski is a College Station native and graduate of A&M Consolidated High School. He is married to the former Anita Fredericksen, and they have three sons: Kristopher, Kyle, and Kevin. Kristopher, Class of '03, is the Head of Athletic Training Outreach for the Physicians Centre Hospital in Bryan and is married to the former Jessica Slataper, Class of '04, who was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in 2004. Kris and Jessica have three children: Jennifer (6), Kade and Brandt (1). Kyle, Class of '06 and a former student football manager, is a project manager for St. Jude Medical in Plano. Kevin, the youngest, is a senior at A&M soon to be Class of 2012. He is majoring in Philosophy.