CRYSC & UCHealth Expand Partnership
Posted by: Ben Martisius | Communications Manager
Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club is excited to announce the expansion of our partnership with UCHealth + CU Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in 2019!
At Rapids Youth Soccer, we are constantly searching for new opportunities to improve the Club experience and provide unique resources for our players. By partnering with local organizations, we have been able to work with experts and help grow the Club in thoughtful, purposeful ways.
In 2016, UCHealth and Colorado Storm partnered together to improve the sports medicine, safety, and health resources at the Club. Since the merger of CRYSC and Colorado Storm in 2018, this partnership has continued and evolved, bringing our organizations closer together with the ultimate goal of providing the best youth soccer experience in Colorado. UCHealth has a tremendous reputation, as a local, Colorado partner, working with athletic organizations like the Denver Broncos. It is with great enthusiasm that we expand our partnership with UCHealth in 2019!
“UCHealth and CU Orthopedics are proud to partner with Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club and to help care for the club’s athletes,” said Dr. Scott Laker, a UCHealth and CU Sports Medicine Specialist. “We’ll be available to help care for any injuries that might occur, but our most important mission is to work with the club’s coaches and administration, providing the most advanced resources to athletes and their families to help prevent injuries from happening in the first place.”
CRYSC Executive Director Aaron Nagel is excited for the future of the partnership saying, “The partnership between UCHealth and Rapids Youth Soccer has been a tremendous opportunity, not only for our Club, but for youth soccer in Colorado. UCHealth’s experience working with professional athletes elevates the standards for youth soccer safety and health education in the area, impacting players and staff at our Club, as well as any player attending our events, camps, or tournaments. Expanding our partnership in 2019 is part of the Club’s ongoing commitment to the safety and protection of players. We look forward to the opportunities that this expanded partnership will bring.”
Benefits of the Rapids Youth Soccer & UCHealth partnership include:
- Working with CRYSC’s Head Athletic Trainer Julie Graves to provide direct access to medical consultants and sports injury experts.
- Providing resources for players and families at The Eddy and multiple CRYSC tournaments, including sunscreen stations, access to sports physicals and flu shots.
- Improving the resources and responses of on-location athletic trainers.
- Supplying and expanding the resources available at CRYSC medical tents.
- Providing athletic trainers for every Rapids Youth Soccer tournament.
- Sponsoring the Athletic Training Room and the Plyometric and Injury Prevention Area at The Eddy, with a focus on injury prevention and recovery.
- Improving access to medical care throughout the state of Colorado, including information on the nearest clinics or virtual visit services.
UCHealth strives to promote individual and community health by improving and optimizing the health care experience. Their network of nationally-recognized hospitals, clinic locations, and health care providers extends throughout Colorado, southern Wyoming, and western Nebraska. By delivering excellent care close to home and building an exceptional team of experts, UCHealth is known for the quality of their service and dedication to their patients.
Rapids Youth Soccer is committed to the safety and protection of players in the Club. Our partnership with UCHealth + CU Orthopedics and Sport Medicine draws from the combined strengths of the region’s premier academic and community hospitals to provide our players and members with the best medical service possible. We are honored to continue working with UCHealth and look forward to the growth of this partnership in 2019 and beyond!
Find out more about our partners at UCHealth by visiting their website and following their pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
READ MORE ABOUT CRYSC’S PARTNERSHIP WITH UCHEALTH
Meet Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves!
Julie Graves is Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club’s first, full-time Head Athletic Trainer. As a Colorado native, Julie has been around sports her entire life. She was a gymnast until ninth grade, and then pursued being a Student Athletic Trainer throughout high school until she graduated from D’Evelyn High School in Lakewood, CO. Julie attended and graduated college at Metropolitan State University of Denver with a Bachelor’s of Science in Athletic Training. She then moved to southern California to attend Azusa Pacific University for graduate school. As a graduate assistant, her main sports were men’s soccer, women’s water polo, and men and women’s tennis. Her favorite sport to work with was the men’s soccer team. After earning her Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Studies, she moved back to Colorado and was offered the Assistant Athletic Trainer position at Colorado Christian University. She worked with all 15 sports at CCU.
In March 2016, Julie was hired on with University of Colorado Health and CU Sports Medicine as the Head Athletic Trainer for Colorado Storm to build a Sports Medicine Program for the elite soccer club. Julie has now joined the CRYSC through the club merger with Storm. In her spare time, Julie loves exploring all the beautiful places Colorado has to offer and trying new Denver restaurants. She is also an avid Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies fan!
Read Blog Posts By Julie!
Find out more about the CRYSC Sports Medicine Program by visiting our website. For any question or concerns related to sports medicine or athletic training, please reach out to Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves, at [email protected].
