Summit Salutes Safe Sports School Woodbury High

At Summit Orthopedics, we’re committed to serving our community — not just within our practice, but also through partnerships with community organizations, local schools, and others. We’re part of the neighborhood, and it’s an honor to do our part to promote safe and healthy activity and exercise for everyone. That’s why we’re so proud to share that Woodbury High School — which is an Official Sports Medicine Partner of Summit Orthopedics — has been honored with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award.

The award recognizes Woodbury High School for meeting NATA’s recommended sports safety standards and for engaging in activities that reinforce the importance of providing high-level orthopedic care, injury prevention, and treatment.

Woodbury High is a Safe Sports School

The Summit team is a key part of Woodbury High School’s effort to keep safety in school sports front and center in the school’s athletics program. As the school’s Official Sports Medicine Partner for the 2021–2022 school year, Summit orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine expert Jack Skendzel, M.D., and Summit athletic trainer Jide Ifonlaja, ATC, provide all necessary and appropriate injury prevention and recovery services to the school’s student athletes.

“Jide and I truly love working with Woodbury’s student athletes, helping them safely work toward achieving their high school athletic dreams, and preparing them for an active and healthy future,” Dr. Skendzel said. “We’re very proud to play a role in Woodbury High School’s being recognized by NATA for implementing an athletics program that prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of their athletes.”

Sports are a great way to get exercise, gain teamwork skills, and develop self-discipline. But because student athletes are still growing and developing throughout adolescence, it’s critically important to have guidance from sports medicine professionals to promote injury prevention and safe competition. That’s why this Safe Sports School designation is so important.

As Woodbury’s Official Sports Medicine Partner, Skendzel and Ifonlaja undertake a variety of expert support activities. They guide Woodbury’s young athletes on training regimens; nutrition and hydration; safety and equipment; prevention for a host of bone, muscle, and joint injuries; and education about concussion and other risks. They provide therapeutic interventions, evaluate players’ ability to return to play after an injury, provide support at the sidelines, and provide emergency assistance for injuries.

What does it mean to be a Safe Sports School?

To achieve Safe Sports School status, Woodbury High School met a number of criteria. They include:

• Create a positive athletic health care administrative system
• Provide or coordinate pre-participation physical examinations
• Promote safe and appropriate practice and competition facilities
• Plan for selection, fit function, and proper maintenance of athletic equipment
• Provide a permanent, appropriately equipped area to evaluate and treat injured athletes
• Develop injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions
• Provide or facilitate injury intervention
• Create and rehearse a venue-specific Emergency Action Plan
• Provide or facilitate psychosocial consultation and nutritional counseling/education
• Educate athletes and parents about the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities

“Woodbury High School is honored to receive this 1^st Team recognition from NATA,” said Jodi Loeblein-Lecker, assistant principal of activities at the school. “We remain committed to keeping our student athletes safe during physical education classes, team practices, and games so they can accomplish their own goals of great competition, winning records, fair sportsmanship, and good health. Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players.”

Congratulations to Woodbury High School!

Summit Orthopedics offers comprehensive sports medicine expertise

From Olympians to pro athletes to kids in youth sports and those that just want to be more active—Summit Orthopedics delivers expert care by fellowship-trained sports medicine physicians. If you are recently injured or concerned about ongoing pain, Summit Orthopedics sports medicine specialists have the expertise to evaluate your discomfort and develop a plan to quickly and safely help you get back to being active.

 Start your journey to stronger, healthier athletic condition. Find your sports medicine expert, schedule an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a sports medicine 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 several additional community clinics.

More resources for you:

• Learn more about Summit’s community partnerships with local high schools.
• Watch this video about student athletes’ mental health.
• Meet Dr. Jack Skendzel.
• Take a look at ways to keep your student athlete active when a sports season is canceled.

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