SPORTS MEDICINE Ron Courson Sr. Assoc. Athletic Dir.-Sports Medicine
Ron Courson has served as Director of Sports Medicine with the University of Georgia Athletic Association since 1995. He previously served as Director of Rehabilitation at the University of Alabama from 1991-1995 and Director of Rehabilitation with Samford University from 19891991. Courson received his undergraduate degree in education/physical education from Samford University, performed two years of graduate work at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and graduated with honors from the Medical College of Georgia with a degree in physical therapy. Courson is a national registered emergency medical technician-intermediate as well as a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Courson has been involved in many athletic training activities including work as an athletic trainer with the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea; 1990 Goodwill Games; 1987 World University Games, 1987 Pan American Games and the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. He served as the chief athletic trainer for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials as well as the chief athletic trainer for track and field for the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games (ACOG). Ron is active in his profession, having served as the president of the SEC Sports Medicine Committee, chairman of the College and University Athletic Trainers' Committee of the National Athletic Trainers' Association and as a member of the NCAA Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports committee. He is a past medical liaison to the American Football Coaches Association and serves currently on the NFL Health and Safety Committee and the USA Football Medical Advisory Board. During his tenure at Alabama, he served as president of the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association and chairman of the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers. Ron received the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer award in 2005 from the National Athletic Trainers' Association and was inducted into the Southeast Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame in 2011 and the National Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame in 2013. Ron serves as an adjunct instructor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Georgia, teaching in the nationally accredited athletic training education program. He serves as a clinical instructor teaching student physical therapists from the Medical College of Georgia and other physical therapy schools. He is active in research and education in the field of sports medicine, having authored a number of professional papers and text chapters and produced a national educational series “Emergency Care in Sports”. Ron presents frequently at regional and national sports medicine meetings. Ron is married to the former Eileen O'Connell of Waycross, Georgia. Ron and Eileen have four children, John, Anna, Luke, and Will.
TEAM CLINICIANS
Fred Reifsteck, MD, Head Physician
Dr. Fred Reifsteck serves as the head team physician for the University of Georgia Athletic Association, and practices in the Sports Medicine Clinic at the University Health Center. Dr. Reifsteck is board certified in family medicine with a certificate of added qualification in sports medicine. Dr. Reifsteck has a BA in Biology from Knox College in Galesburg, Il., a MS in Microbiology from Illinois State University in Normal, Il., and a MD from the University of Illinois-Chicago. He completed a residency in family medicine in Peoria, Il. At the Methodist Medical Center of Illinois He has been at the University of Georgia since December 2003. He had been in private practice in the Atlanta area for the previous 13 years and was a team physician at Georgia State University and Clayton State University. Dr. Reifsteck resides in Athens with his wife Joyce and their son Fred IV.
Philip Young, Sr. Asst. Athletic Trainer
Philip Young, Sr. Asst. Athletic Trainer Philip Young was named assistant athletic trainer July 1, 2010, with the primary duty of working with the football program. Young is a 2008 cum laude graduate of UGA, receiving his bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science and athletic training. During his undergraduate years, Young served as a student athletic trainer for the Athletic Association assisting the baseball, football and track & field programs. He also served as a training camp athletic trainer for the Atlanta Falcons in 2007. Young spent two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Connecticut. He worked with the football program and also directed the athletic training efforts for the Huskies' golf team in 2008-09 and the track & field teams in 2009-10. Young received his master's degree in public health and health promotions from Connecticut in May of 2010. He currently resides in Athens, GA with his wife Jamie.
Ryan McGovern - Asst. Athletic Trainer
Ryan McGovern joined the UGA Athletic Training staff full time on May 1, 2012 working primarily with the football team. McGovern is a 2008 graduate of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA where he received his bachelor’s degree in athletic training. Prior to coming to UGA, McGovern served as Head Athletic Trainer of Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Beginning in 2010 he served for two years as a graduate assistant for the UGA football team. McGovern graduated in May 2012 with his master’s degree in exercise science with a focus in athletic training from the University of Georgia. McGovern is a native of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Glen Alex, DMD Dentist
Harry Brown, Jr. DC Chiropractor
Pat Brooks, MD Internal Medicine
Chris Morris, DC Chiropractor
Robert Hancock, MD Orthopedics
David Sailors, MD Vascular Surgery
Alonzo Sexton, MD Orthopedics
Jennifer Ketterly Sports Nutrition
Stuart Thomas, OD Optometry
Kim Walpert, MD Neurosurgery
Glenn Henry, EMT-P Emergency Medicine
Kelly Ward, PA Primary Care
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