PITTSBURGH (November 8, 2016) – In an effort to take a few significant strides forward in the realm of medical oversight, treatment, and tracking, the Riverhounds Development Academy (RDA) and Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Sports Performance have developed a partnership aimed primarily at top-level care and resources for all RDA families.
Beginning this November, the partnership will introduce a host of benefits for soccer families in the area. At the core of this partnership, the RDA and AHN are teaming up to integrate a three-pronged approach to proactive care of RDA players:
- C3 Logix Baseline Concussion Testing for all players ages 10+.
- State-of-the-art performance training facilities for Under-15+ RDA teams at the Allegheny Sports Complex at Cool Springs.
- Hybrid dynamic warm-up programming for all RDA teams, collaboratively designed between Mike Whiteman, Riverhounds Fitness Director, and Frank Velasquez Jr., Director of Sports Performance at AHN.
Pragmatically, the initiative means a large investment from both the Riverhounds and AHN into an ever-evolving issue amongst athletes: concussions. It is an intention of this initiative to create a base for medical tracking amongst RDA players, ensuring its athletes are performing at maximum outputs as much as possible while offering a direct support system when injuries occur.
A Concussion Testing Center is being made available to RDA players starting in November at the Allegheny Sports Complex at Cool Springs, in an effort to provide convenience for all RDA families who will be at the complex for their winter training sessions. All RDA players, ages 10 and older, are being encouraged to perform the C3 Logix Baseline Concussion Testing through AHN, although it is not mandatory if the child has recently completed testing through AHN or another system. Concussion baseline testing results hold true for a period of two (2) years and while the C3 Logix program assesses a number of factors that standard concussion testing does not, the key is ensuring all players have updated results on file.
For the Under-15 and older RDA teams, an exciting new piece to winter training will include workouts led by Whiteman and Velasquez in the state-of-the-art AHN Sports Performance and Physical Therapy facility located on the second floor of the Allegheny Sports Complex at Cool Springs. The facility offers equipment to athletes who are preparing their bodies through a critical developmental phase.
Whiteman and Velasquez are currently working to develop an innovative dynamic warm-up and activation that will be rolled out soon for all RDA teams, which targets specific demands of soccer mobility in an age-appropriate manner.
Lastly, as a unique add-on to the partnership, the two sides will be introducing several health and wellness features that will add value for all involved with the RDA, including parents. The Riverhounds will be launching an informative monthly conference call series called “‘Listen and Learn’ AHN Sports Medicine Hour” where a different sports medicine expert from AHN will lead the call each month, discussing topics that relate to the development, health and wellness for young athletes. RDA families will have an opportunity to send in questions that will be answered on these calls, making for a great interactive, educational forum. Beyond this, wheels are in motion for on-site fitness programming that will be made available to RDA parents while at Cool Springs.
In order to roll out this platform, the Riverhounds and AHN are investing significant resources to ensure the Academy powers forward with top-level medical care, guidance, and strength training. In addition to all the aforementioned, the Riverhounds and AHN Sports Performance will provide all RDA athletes with training t-shirts that represent the groundbreaking partnership.
