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Biography: Chris Palmer, 45, was hired prior to the 2009-10 season as the head athletic trainer of the Peoria Rivermen. He comes to Peoria from Minneapolis, where he had been working at the Institute of Athletic Medicine for the last two years. Palmer joined the Rivermen with a wealth of experience including six seasons as the head trainer of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.

Palmer spent the 2006-07 season as the head athletic trainer of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. He served as athletic trainer of the Albany River Rats (then the AHL affiliate of the Devils) during the previous three seasons. He spent the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons as athletic trainer of the Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League. He first ventured into hockey as a trainer of United Hockey League’s Flint Generals in 2000-01.

He was with Timberwolves as the head trainer and director of team travel for six seasons, from 1994-2000. He joined T-Wolves after serving the Atlanta Hawks as a part-time assistant trainer for four seasons. In 1996, Palmer worked at the Centennial Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta. While with the Hawks was a member of the Georgia Sports Medicine Clinic from 1998-94.

A graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, he also spent time as an athletic trainer for the Atlanta Thunder of Professional Team Tennis, the Atlanta Eagles of the United State Basketball League, as well as the Atlanta Attack of the National Professional Soccer League. He began his career as graduate assistant at Florida A&M University and as an assistant to the athletic training department at The Citadel. Palmer is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Chris was born on Oct. 25, 1963 and has two sons, Collin and Reece.