HISTORY

The Sports Medicine Department at the University of Kansas has an affluent history going back to 1898 when one of the most influential sport figures in the 20th century stepped on campus, Dr. James Naismith. During his time in Massachusetts, he created the game of basketball in 1891 and aided in the construction of the first football helmet in 1892.

Dr. Naismith coached the University of Kansas basketball team from 1898 until 1907. Soon after Dr. Naismith retired the Cramer brothers, Charles "Chuck" and Frank, came from Gardner, KS to study at Kansas. Both were outstanding track athletes. Chuck was a pharmaceutical student in 1912 that developed his own liniment to treat his sprained ankle. In 1920, Chuck and Frank Cramer developed Cramer Chemical Company, now known as Cramer Sports Medicine. Chuck Cramer was one of the founders of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) during 1950 in Kansas City. He and his brother are both in the NATA Hall of Fame for their contribution and development of the profession of Athletic Training.

One of the most respected Athletic Trainers, Dean "Deaner" Nesmith, administered health care to some of the world's greatest athletes from 1938-1983, a list that includes Gale Sayers, Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Ryun and Jo White, among many others. Nesmith is in the NATA Hall of Fame with the Cramer brothers and all three are included in the Kansas Athletic Trainers Society Hall of Fame, which includes Lynn Bott. Bott committed 28 years as an Athletic Trainer to the athletes of the University of Kansas from 1976 to 2004. He studied under the "Deaner" and was influential for the profession at all levels, state, regional and nationally. In 2005, the NATA honored Lynn Bott with the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award for his hard work and dedication to promotion of the profession of Athletic Training. Other notable influences in Sports Medicine and Athletic Trainers that have roots at the University of Kansas are Roland "Kickapoo" Logan, Cynthia "Sam" Booth and Bill Cramer; each have been honored by the NATA for their commitment and hard work.

CURRENT

Kansas Athletics has brought together an expansive health care team to assist its student athletes with all areas of health care from acute care of orthopedic injuries and illness, rehabilitation, injury prevention, and nutrition to psychological services. The Sports Medicine team is composed of certified athletic trainers, physicians, a nutritionist, psychologist and physical therapist along with an accredited student athletic training education program. Kansas Athletics has one of the largest sports medicine staff in the Big XII with 14 certified athletic trainers, 50+ student athletic trainers with 3 full time athletic training instructors, a sport psychologist and nutritionist, over dozen physicians ranging from orthopedic surgeons, dermatologists, and general practitioners to optometrists, dentists and other medical specialists.

The Sports Medicine Department operates out of the Nesmith Athletic Training Room and Aquatic Rehabilitation Center in the Parrot Athletic Complex. In the fall of 2008, the Athletic Training Medical Facility at the Anderson Family Football Complex opened it's doors to the student athletes of Kansas Athletics. It houses Kansas Athletics' second Aquatic Rehabilitation Center with HydroWorx therapy pools including the HydroWorx 2000 with adjustable pool depth, multiple jets for variable resistance and a full width underwater treadmill to assist the medical staff in the recovery of the student athletes. Between the two facilities, each houses the latest technology from ImPACT a computer based concussion testing system, the most advanced electrical and physical modalities, to rehab including the functional squat system, along with the Hydroworx Aquatic Rehabilitation pools. Each facility allows the medical staff to provide optimal health care to allow each student athlete greatest potential for a safe recovery.

Visit the Athletic Training Education Web Site http://at.soe.ku.edu