Summit Sports Medicine Teams Dedicated to Student Safety

Every week, Summit’s athletic trainers are monitoring the high school teams of District 833 as they train and compete. Athletic trainer Erik Collins explains his role in education, prevention, and injury assessment on the field.

“As the Official Sports Medicine Partner for District 833 high school athletes, Summit Orthopedics has made the well-being and safety of the kids its first priority,” says Erik Collins, one of the athletic trainers covering all of the athletic teams at East Ridge High School under the supervision of Dr. Brent Warner.

Every week, Erik arrives at the school at 2:30 p.m. to prepare for six different team practices. “I try to attend varsity football practice, and I have a golf cart to get to the volleyball and soccer practices if I’m needed,” he explains. Before practice, he tapes students who need extra joint support, and evaluates injuries that may have occurred prior to practice. During practice, he triages any physical issues that arise.

Erik understands student athlete concerns from firsthand experience. He played football, basketball, and golf in high school, injuring his knee along the way. “I never had an athletic trainer in high school,” he recalls. “After my football injury, I worked with a physical therapist to recover and get my knee ready for basketball season—I thought it was so cool that he knew exactly what I needed to do. I love working with athletes and I understand their challenges because I’ve been there myself.”

Experience at every level of sports competition, including high school, college, and the NFL, taught Erik the value of being prepared. “In my mind,” Erik says, “I always try to be a step or two ahead of what could happen. My work with the San Diego Chargers taught me to mentally review the steps I need to take to keep my players safe. Summit provides me with the equipment I need and I coordinate with the East Ridge athletic director to have appropriate emergency personnel and equipment present. There shouldn’t be anything missing—I’m pretty particular about my mental checklist.”

For Erik, ongoing education is another priority. “I teach the students about prevention, injuries, and how to take care of their bodies,” he explains. “That education extends to the coaches, so they understand when they can push kids and when they need to pull them back a little bit.”

He acknowledges that having the HealthEast Sports Center as close as it is to East Ridge High School is a bonus. “If players do have a problem, I can refer them to Dr. Warner—often the same day—for medical treatment at our Sports Center, right next to where the kids go to school. At Summit, we’re working to make things as convenient and easy as possible for these students and their parents.”

“I love building relationships with these student athletes,” he concludes. “I enjoy the responsibility of being their guy—the guy they trust to take care of them. And when kids do get hurt, there’s nothing better than being able to help them get back to 100 percent so they can return to the field and exceed their expectations. For me personally, that’s just one of the best feelings.”

Summit Orthopedics supports healthy communities

Community health flourishes when specialized orthopedic care is conveniently available close to home. Summit Orthopedics is proud of our fellowship-trained subspecialty teams offering the full spectrum of orthopedic expertise in bone, tendon, ligament, muscle, and joint conditions—in addition to our wellness, prevention, and rehabilitation services. We have the expertise to proactively improve fitness, evaluate discomfort, and deliver personalized treatment to quickly and safely return you to the lifestyle you love.

Start your journey to a healthier, more active self. Visit our Facebook page to learn about our wellness services and schedule a free wellness consultation online. Find your orthopedic expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Plymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.

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  • Brent Warner MD

    Brent Warner, M.D.

    “As an athlete, I understand the profound impact that an injury can have on a patient’s life and well-being. My goal is to return people to activity as quickly and safely as possible, whether that’s training for an ultramarathon or walking the dog around the block.”

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