FOR APRIL 25-27, 2014
U.S. Medical Soccer Team – Itinerary for Washington, D.C.
Advocacy on Capitol Hill/Practices/DC Boys & Girls Club Fitness Clinic
WHAT:The U.S. Medical Soccer Team (USMST) is an organization of physicians from around the country who share a passion for soccer, medical education and community outreach. They represent the United States at the World Medical Football Championships ("Physicians' World Cup"), which is an annual tournament of similar physician teams from around the world. The USMST also participates in the Global Congress on Medicine and Health in Sport, which is a medical conference bringing together an international cohort of physician soccer players and occurs in parallel with the Championships. This year's tournament and Congress will be held in Natal, Brazil, from July 5-12, 2014.
In preparation for the tournament, the coach and players of the USMST get together three times annually for weekend training sessions at locations around the country. This April 25-27, they will be in Washington, D.C.
During their weekend, they will be doing a community outreach event at the Washington, D.C. Boys and Girls Club on Friday, April 25th from 4 – 6 p.m. These are fun events tailored towards children age 6-12 years of age that focus on fitness, nutrition and education. USMST has developed a formal program entitled "Healthy, Fit and Smart" that they use to educate and motivate youth towards active lifestyles, a healthy diet and careers in the health profession. Coach and team bios, schedules, competitors, etc. are detailed at: http://www.usmedicalsoccerteam.org/
WHEN/WHERE:
Friday, April 2510 a.m. – 12 noon – Capitol Hill advocacy—The coach and players will be with Monte Ward, Vice President for Government Relations, American College of Sports Medicine, for legislative meetings with the Soccer Caucus and other Congressional offices.
12 noon – 3 p.m. Practice at Georgetown University
4 - 6 p.m. Healthy, Fit and Smart Clinic - Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, DC(3265 S St, N.W, Washington, DC). Bob Stowers is Director of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington. Phone: (202) 462-1317. Email: [email protected]
8 – 10 p.m. Team dinner with guest -- team physician for DC United soccer club
Saturday, April 265 – 8 p.m. Practice at School of the Holy Child in Potomac, MD
Sunday, April 279 a.m. – 12 p.m. Practice at School of the Holy Child in Potomac, MD
Interesting Angles
1. The United States is hosting the 2015 World Medical Football Championships in Long Beach, California, from June 27-July 4, 2015.
2. Coaching the USMST is Stephen Merriwether, who is a local high school and club coach in the Los Angeles area.
3. Felipe Lobelo, MD, Ph.D. works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
4. Many of the USMST players are military Veterans, including Gautam Nayak, M.D.
5. Chris Grybauskas grew up locally in Bowie, MD, and graduated from the University of Maryland (background below):
• pediatric hospitalist in Los Angeles, CA;• attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD, from 1993-1997 and played three years of varsity soccer;• played for the Bowie Soccer United soccer club through middle school and high school and competed in the National Capital Soccer League, reaching Division 2; • entered the University of Maryland, College Park, MD, in 1997;• entered the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2001 and continued to play soccer recreationally in the school league as well as in the Howard County men’s league;• member of the University of Maryland Medical Alumni Association since his graduation in 2005;• father is a long-time faculty member (now retired) at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD (parents still live in Bowie, MD; his brother in Takoma Park, MD; and his sister in Catonsville, MD);• moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to start pediatric residency training at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, where he continued to play soccer in local leagues; • tried out for the USMST in 2012 and has played with the team for the last three years; and • as a pediatric doctor, is a leader in the growing community service component of the team's mission -- outreach events at youth organizations around the country. KEY CONTACTS:Overall Media Opportunities: Mike Fulton (301) 651-2508; [email protected]
Team Contact: Gautam Nayak (509) 393-3299; [email protected]
Team Contact: Felipe Lobelo (404) 307-4027; [email protected]
Maryland Player: Chris Grybauskas - [email protected]
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington: Bob Stowers, Director of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington; Phone: (202) 462-1317. Email: [email protected]
Collaborative Partner: American College of Sports MedicineThe American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org
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