Certified Athletic Trainers Provide the Following Services:

• Daily medical coverage, injury evaluations/management for all Five Star Schools athletes
• Concussion management
• Liaisons to assigned team physicians for each school
• Free injury assessments and recommendations for follow–up care
• Fast track emergency room care
• First aid & implementation of emergency protocols at each high school
• Education and instruction for student athletes, coaches and parents
• Student education in sports medicine career paths
• Medical coverage available for summer camps upon request

The Sports Medicine Center is housed within Children’s Hospital Colorado's Orthopedics Institute, recognized as one of the top 10 pediatric orthopedic programs in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Its team includes several sports medicine specialists who are specially trained and qualified to care for young competitive athletes, as well as pediatric rehabilitation medicine, physical therapy, orthopedic and orthopedic surgery specialists.  Through the Sports Medicine Center at Children’s Hospital Colorado, children and teens also gain direct access to all of the pediatric experts and resources available through Children’s Colorado, including its Concussion Program.

Our relationship with the Children's Hospital keeps student athletes in the Five Star District healthy to play the sports they love.

The Dos and Don’ts of Stretching a Newly Injured Muscle

Stretching can help young athletes heal their newly injured muscle, helping them get back in the game sooner. However, stretching too much, or at the wrong time, can cause further damage to the injury. In this article from Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Sports Medicine Center, athletic trainer Dennis Coonan offers tips for when and how to start stretching a recent strain, and which types of stretches are best for healing. Read the article to learn more about post-injury muscle care. 

Head Athletic Trainer, Legacy High School 
isabela.collins@childrenscolorado.org
(720) 972-6801

Bio coming soon...

Tyler Gallegos, LAT, ATC​
Head Athletic Trainer, Mountain Range High School
(720) 972-6431

tyler.gallegos@childrenscolorado.org

Bio coming soon...

Corey Andrews, MEd, LAT, ATC
Head Athletic Trainer, Northglenn High School
Corey.andrews@childrenscolorado.org
(720) 972-4649

Bio coming soon...

Lemar Hicks, LAT, ATC
Head Athletic Trainer, Thornton High School
george.hicks@childrenscolorado.org
(720) 972-2804

Prior to working for Children’s Hospital, Lemar worked as an Athletic Trainer for Colorado Springs School District 11 where he aided all the schools in the district with sports coverage and athletic training room fill-in in the absence of their full-time Athletic Trainer. Originally from Ft. Wayne, IN, Lemar gained his Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Colorado State University-Pueblo. 

Head Athletic Trainer, Pinnacle/Float
paul.dequillfeldt@childrenscolorado.org
(720) 972-6801

Paul is originally from New York, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from Stony Brook University. While attending college he participated on Stony Brook’s Men’s Track and Field team and met his wife, Natalie. After working as a high school athletic trainer for a year in New York, Paul and his wife moved to Tucson where she completed medical school. Paul continued to work as a high school athletic trainer for the four years they were in Tucson. Paul moved to Denver for his wife to complete her residency in Internal Medicine and is thrilled to continue working as a high school athletic trainer for Children’s Hospital Colorado. In his free time Paul enjoys hiking with his wife and dog, Wiley. He also likes to cook and continues to enjoy running and training. 

1. Contact an athletic trainer (ATC) immediately and monitor the athlete’s signs and symptoms. (If ATC is available, the ATC will perform a concussion evaluation. If ATC is not available, the coach will continue to monitor symptoms and use their best judgment for immediate referral needs.)
2. Notify athlete’s parents to report the suspected concussion ASAP. (The ATC will also call parents)
3. The ATC will review the red flags and return to play protocol requirements with parents, and recommend they schedule an appointment with their physician or make an appointment with the Children's Hospital concussion program or appropriate medical facility.
4. Once an evaluation has taken place, the coach is to inform the building Athletic Director of the incident as soon as possible.
5. The ATC will email the school nurse within 24 hours of the concussion evaluation.
6. The ATC and the Athletic Director will communicate academic relief to the teachers of the student.
7. The athlete will be cleared to return to sports and full academic activity only when cleared by physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant.  A note must be obtained indicating medical clearance.  The ATC will notify the school nurse when athlete has gained medical clearance.  The ATC, along with the physician assigned to the school, will provide final clearance of the athlete to return to activity/sport assuring the return to play protocol has been followed. 

• Children's Hospital Concussion Program