The 2023 FCS National Championship game between South Dakota State and North Dakota State included Sanford Health medical support staff on both sidelines. These staffs worked closely with players and coaches and worked closely with each other. In philosophy and mission, they also worked closely with their colleagues on the other sideline.
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That’s a lot of teamwork going on. A commitment to collaboration is at the heart of all of it.
“At the end of the day we’re there for the same reason, and that’s to give the best possible health care to these athletes,” said Bruce Piatt, M.D., a longtime team physician for NDSU who is also chair of the Sanford orthopedics department. “That’s the part we stay focused on.”
Staying healthy for extended season
It speaks to the excellence of both teams’ health providers that the Bison and the Jackrabbits were healthy enough to make it to a January college football game. It included certified athletic trainers, strength and conditioning personnel and physicians — as well as access to physical therapy and the entire scope of Sanford Health’s medical expertise.
While sports science has made significant advances in preventing injuries in this collision-based sport, medical staffs are always going to have plenty on their plate in the moments after a player is no longer at 100% physically. Over the course of a season that starts in August and goes until January, that can be a lot to take on.
“We started our season against Iowa and had some key injuries during that game,” said Chad Kurtenbach, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon who serves as an SDSU team physician. “It has been a constant balance between getting players back as soon and as safely possible while also recognizing that the ultimate goal is to be our healthiest at the end of the season. In order to make that work, you need excellent communication between the athlete, coaches, strength-conditioning staff and medical staff. We are fortunate to be quite healthy at this time of the season and are ready to play our best football.”
Sanford Health medical personnel for SDSU and NDSU met Oct. 15 at the Fargodome, when SDSU took home the Dakota Marker. (Photos courtesy of Chad Kurtenbach and Verle Valentine)
Handling physical and mental stress
The word “grind” is not a clinical term exactly but dealing with it is part of being a healthy athlete. In that regard, 15 games are more challenging than 11 regardless of who is winning and losing.
“I’m quite amazed at how well student-athletes handle the stress of a football season,” said Verle Valentine, M.D., a sports medicine physician who is also a former SDSU athlete. “Obviously they’re students first. It’s not easy stuff for any student. Then you add on all the stresses of football — which is not only a time commitment, but also physical commitment. Then you have to study a lot for football, too. You need to know what you’re supposed to do and when you’re supposed to do it. I’m in awe of how well these kids handle all those stresses.”
The respect Sanford providers have for the people in their care falls neatly into the spirit of collaboration and communication these staffs go to great lengths to maintain.
It might be easy to get caught up in all the same things that attract Jackrabbit and Bison fans, but there is work to do. They’re all rooting for people to stay healthy and succeed on one level, but not to the extent that they lose sight of the reasons they’re affiliated with their teams.
Delicate balance? Yes. But also intriguing and rewarding.
“It’s really been enjoyable to get to know the players, not just as patients, but as individuals,” Dr. Piatt said. “We travel together and we can become involved in very high-stress situations that require some very difficult interactions on occasion. Overall, it’s been just an incredible experience. I’ve gotten to know some of these kids probably a lot more than they ever wanted to know me when they came here but I really value the relationships that we’ve built up.”
The partnerships have well-defined boundaries. Sanford doctors don’t call plays. NDSU and SDSU coaches don’t do knee surgeries. Longstanding coach-doctor relationships based on mutual respect make that part of the pact easier to maintain.
“Sanford and SDSU are both top-notch organizations and are striving for excellence,” Dr. Kurtenbach said. “Our goal at Sanford is to provide world-class health care. From a sports perspective, SDSU’s goal is to be an elite team that competes for national championships. These goals align very well and that shared vision elevates both organizations.”
Play still important
There are moments in preparation for a game when the coaching staffs attempt to alleviate the stress of getting ready for a big game by encouraging players to have fun and appreciate the journey. It can be easier to say than it is to do when a national title is at stake.
“I think we all enjoy being a part of it,” Dr. Valentine said. “I am proud of the kids. One of the coolest things this year was to watch the team playing in the snow banks after they won in the semifinals. It was like they were little kids again as opposed to the young men they are now. This has been a joy all season. Whether they succeed or don’t succeed, they’ve always been positive about how things are going and what it is to be a Jackrabbit.”
“We work in unison with North Dakota State to try to maximize the health care of all of the athletes in a timely fashion,” Dr. Piatt said. “It really allows them to do the things that have gotten them to this point. I can’t speak highly enough of what it’s been like to be a part of Sanford Health for that experience. The fact that we’re participating in this event with another team that is also assisted by Sanford Health is exciting to watch happen.”
Learn more
- Sanford study shows fewer head impacts in youth football
- NDSU, Sanford Health share strong connections in title run
- SDSU team doctors follow Jackrabbits to FCS title game
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Posted In Orthopedics, Sanford Sports, Sports Medicine
