By Bill Bradley, contributing editor
USA Football, which is making an impact across the country with its Heads Up Football program, announced Monday the formation of its first Medical Advisory Committee.
The committee, which will be chaired by Dr. Stanley Herring, will include 10 doctors with expertise ranging from orthopedics to neurology, rehabilitation medicine to sports cardiology.
The group will look at player safety, injury prevention and health issues surrounding football. The doctors will work with other USA Football committees to determine the best practices for all levels of football, including the Heads Up Football program.
Herring, who is the Seattle Seahawks' team doctor and works out of the University of Washington Harborview Medical Center, is known for his lobbying efforts in Washington for the Lystedt Law, the country's first concussion education and protocol law.
"The health and safety of every young football player is our No. 1 priority," Herring said in a statement. "Rooted in medical research, USA Football programs are raising standards in how coaches are prepared to teach and how player safety is addressed by coaches, players and parents."
Added USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck, "Nothing comes before the health and safety of our young athletes, and this committee enables us to advance player safety in football and possibly other youth sports."
Other members of the committee are Dr. John Bergfeld of the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Douglas Casa of the Korey Stringer Institute, Dr. Jonathan Drezner of the University of Washington, Dr. Gerard Gioia of the Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C., Dr. Andrew Gregory of Vanderbilt University, Dr. Tamerah Hunt of Ohio State University, Dr. Patrick Kersey of St. Vincent Sports Performance, Dr. Margot Putukian of Princeton University and Dr. Gail Rosseau of NorthShore Medical Group in Chicago, Ill.
