Steamboat's Sauerbrey named freestyle head doc

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has named new head physicians for the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, overseeing medical care of national development and elite athletes. Dr. Andreas Sauerbrey of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, was named freestyle team head physician, while Dr. Thomas Hackett of Vail oversees medical services for U.S. Snowboarding, according to USSA Medical Director Richard Quincy. 


PARK CITY, Utah — The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has named new head physicians for the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, overseeing medical care of national development and elite athletes. Dr. Andreas Sauerbrey of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, was named freestyle team head physician, while Dr. Thomas Hackett of Vail oversees medical services for U.S. Snowboarding, according to USSA Medical Director Richard Quincy. 


    Sauerbrey, a staff member at Orthopedics of Steamboat Springs, is a graduate of the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine. Hackett, a Creighton University Medical School graduate who trained under esteemed surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe, is on staff at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail.
Sauerbrey and Hackett are members of a resource pool of more than 110 doctors, plus more than 25 certified athletic trainers and physical therapists, who volunteer to travel and direct medical care for the 15 national teams of the USSA, the national governing body of Olympic skiing and snowboarding. 


    “We now have a head physician for each of our sports on the USSA Medical Committee,” Quincy said. “The committee and pool of doctors that travel with our national teams are some of the best in the U.S. They help us serve as a clearinghouse to coordinate treatment, rehabilitation, return-to-snow programs and ongoing medical advice for the national team athletes. This increases the continuity of care for our athletes and maintains the highest standard of medical care we need and expect in our program.”
    Sauerbrey and Hackett replace Gunnar Brolinson and Peter Clark, who served as head physicians for freestyle and snowboarding, respectively, during the 2006 Olympic cycle. “We appreciate all Gunnar and Peter did for the team and thank them immensely,” Quincy said.


    The head physician is the primary contact for the athletic trainers and physical therapists of each sport discipline concerning the treatment and recovery of our athletes, he said. “They also review medical coverage for various elite-level events and work with the medical committee to establish protocols and procedures as well as review emergency action plans, which we are continually developing,” Quincy said. 


    The head physician of each sport acts in conjunction with renowned surgeon Dr. Richard Steadman from the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, who is the committee’s chairman and chief physician. The USSA Medical Committee includes: J. Richard Steadman, MD, of Vail — chairman and chief physician
 Terrence Orr, MD, of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; men’s alpine team physician
 William Sterett, MD, Vail; alpine team physician 
Vern Cooley, MD, of Park City; alpine development team physician
 Thomas Hackett, MD, of Vail; snowboarding physician
 Lawrence Gaul, MD, of Vail; nordic team physician
 Andreas Sauerbrey, MD, of Steamboat Springs; freestyle team physician 
Peter Costa, MD, of South Lake Tahoe, California; spine specialist
 Charles Rich, MD, of Salt Lake City; neurological specialist
 Richard Quincy, MS, PT, ATC, of Park City, USSA medical director.
    In addition, the physicians are supported by the USSA’s medical providers located around the country. Official USSA medical providers include: Barton Healthcare System of South Lake Tahoe; Body Dynamics of Boulder, Colo.; Desert Orthopedics of Bend, Oregon; The Howard Head Medical Center of Vail; Mammoth Hospital of Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Olympic PT of Seattle, Washington; Park City Family Health and Urgent Care Center of Park City; Rebound Physical Therapy of Bend; Rosenberg, Cooley, Metcalf Clinic of Park City; Saco Bay PT of Saco Bay, Maine;
Steadman-Hawkins Clinic of Vail; Tahoe Fracture & Orthopedic Medical Clinic of South Lake Tahoe; The Orthopedic and Surgical Hospital of Salt Lake City; Vail Valley Medical Center of Vail.