THE BACK PAGE PROFESSION Writing the textbook L Chiropractic’s involvement in pro soccer BY DR. MIKE MURRAY highest calibre. The club demands suc-cess and I am humbled to be involved with the club this early in its existence. The medical staff put in place with PFC has allowed us all to grow as practition-ers and gain insight from our own indi-vidual experiences managing athletes. This combined has allowed me to hone my skills as a practitioner, and help shape my residency to something of tre-mendous professional value. From Jamie Niel, I asked for a Drs. Murray and Hadbavny on-field before comment on the diversity of the med-a match ical team: “The success of our medical team was fairly new out of school, so she welcomed our addition without any came from our symbiotic relationship as pre-conceived biases. I also was very a group. As a medical team, we all have keen to involve the RCCSS(C) resi-specialties in our chosen field and are dent in my clinic, Dr. Mike Had-open as a group to learn and collaborate bavny. The team also enlisted Dr. together. Our collaborative style as a Cara Ewart as the CMO who had whole made our process streamline but worked with me at the 2004 Olympics also diverse which optimized each play-and with the rowers on a regular ba-er’s treatment.” sis. Therefore she was very familiar Focus (of course) is on injury pre-with chiropractic care and what we vention and working closely with the bring to the table. Recently, Dr. strength and conditioning coach to Christina Leonardelli is also now on-ensure athletes are stable from the board with the brand new Ottawa ground up. Also Dr. Hadbavny has a good background in rehabilitation team, Atletico Ottawa. I asked Dr. Hadbavny: What was it so the communication with the like as a sports resident to be involved strength coach was seemless. I would at the pro-level almost right out of the also say that we are proud that we have had virtually no sprain/strain gate? On paper it could seem like a daunting type of injuries that are common in task working with professional athletes. soccer such as hamstrings and ankles Up until that point I had experience during the first season. Most of the working with and treating a majority of season was spent addressing chronic amateur athletes from various sports and conditions that the players showed backgrounds. I was fortunate in my sit-up with in training. Working in pro-uation to have a phenomenal support fessional sports has a unique set of structure around me through my resident hierarchies and rules that we all need supervisors, Dr. Mike Murray, and Dr. to be wary of. While COVID-19 first postponed Scott Howitt. The ownership’s expecta-tions for the players and staff are of the the games, the teams eventually re-sumed with an abbreviated season. DR. MURRAY has been with Rowing Canada for 29 years and has attended 6 Olympic Games. He The Pacific FC finished 4th this year teaches seminars internationally and has a private practice in Victoria, BC. where he runs a multi-after round robin play in Charlotte-disciplinary clinic. town, P.E.I. ast year saw the start of the long-awaited professional soccer league in Canada. With teams from coast to coast, the stage was set for an exciting inaugural season. In Victoria, the Pacific FC sought out the services of myself, and Dr. Mike Hadbavny as Chiropractic consultants. We were brought on to help organize the med-ical team under the leadership of Randy Celebrini, a physiotherapist out of Vancouver. Together we’ve formed a working relationship and developed the proto-cols and templates to ensure the players received the best care possi-ble. So, how did I get linked up with the pro club in Victoria? Well, there’s an old saying called “pay it forward.” About 20 years ago I started to treat a very talented 17-year-old soccer player named Josh Simpson. He played for the under 18 team and loved chiropractic care. Coming from a large family, he couldn’t always afford treat-ment so I would give him a break whenever he came in to the office. Josh went on to play pro with Milwall in England’s first division and then Kai-serslautern in Germany. He finished with FC Bern after a career-ending injury a few years back. I also saw him on several occasions when he played in Europe and I made it a point to touch base whenever possible. Flash forward 20 years and Josh became one of the owners of the new Pacific FC soccer team in Victoria. Needless to say he was instrumental in making sure I was involved with the team. At the very start of the season, our athletic therapist quit and was replaced by therapist Jamie Neil who www.Cndoctor.ca 26 Chiropractic and Naturopathic Doctor October 2020
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