Sports Medicine - About Us
Wake Forest's Department of Sports Medicine, which cares for all student athletes in the evaluation, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries, is recognized as one of the most comprehensive and qualified departments of its kind in the country.
A primary reason why Wake Forest is so highly respected in this critical area is the guidance it receives from Wake Forest Baptist Health. As a result, all injured student athletes receive immediate attention from physicians with the highest credentials.
Heading this group are Co-Directors of Sports Medicine John Hubbard (orthopedics) and Chris Miles (Family Medicine). Working closely with Dr. Hubbard are orthopedists Dr. Kevin Coates, Dr. Brian Waterman and Dr. Robert Teasdall. In addition to Dr. Miles, primary care physicians include Dr. Heath Thornton, Dr. Dan Krowchuk and Dr. Daryl Rosenbaum.
On campus, the Department of Sports Medicine is administered on a daily basis by Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine Greg Collins. Collins, who came to Wake Forest in January of 1997 after serving five years as the head athletic trainer at the University of Richmond, is enthusiastic about his position and the outstanding work being provided by his staff.
"Wake Forest is recognized nationally for its excellence in sports medicine care and has a tremendous history for advancements in the area of athletic health care," Collins says.
"One of the greatest advantages we offer our student athletes is that in the event of an injury, they can be seen at a well-renowned school of medicine by a physician without delay. The fact that all of our medical services are housed in one facility gives us a greater variety of medical personnel from which to choose."
In addition to the medical expertise of Wake Forest Baptist Health, another reason for Wake Forest's solid reputation lies in its on-campus facilities. In December 2017, Wake Forest Sports Medicine moved into a new state of the art sports medicine facility on the ground floor of the Kenneth D. Miller Center. This 2,000 square foot central location features expanded offices, exam rooms and a physical therapy area that will allow the sports medicine staff to better serve all of the student athletes. In addition to the training room, all student athletes will have access to the new hydrotherapy area, which includes a HydroWorx 1200 underwater treadmill, polar plunge and thermal plunge pools.
The most important aspect of the sports medicine program, though, is in its people. The staff operates with the complete acceptance of Collins' philosophy that the student athlete, not the injury, is the focus.
"You're treating a person, not just a sprained ankle," he says. "Our student athletes are highly motivated and intent on competing at the highest level. An injury can be a traumatic experience for them, and we have to be sensitive to that in order to treat them properly."
"Helping a student athlete recover from an injury and watching him or her perform to the best of their ability is very rewarding for us. It is the best part of our job."
At Wake Forest, Collins is assisted by a staff of fully certified athletic trainers.
A staff of eleven full-time staff members, who are certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, are assigned to each of the varsity sports. This staff also includes Rehabilitation Coordinator Niles Fleet who oversees all of the Demon Deacon physical therapy and post-surgical cases.
A number of consultants from the Wake Forest School of Medicine work closely with the student athletes as well, providing advice and assistance in every area of expertise.
Included in this auxiliary group are two primary care sports medicine and two orthopaedic fellows assigned annually through the department.