Sports medicine physician and researcher joins USCAH from Mayo Clinic
COLUMBUS, Ohio (November 1, 2021) – Dr. Chad Asplund has been named the executive director of the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health by Dr. James Borchers, USCAH president and CEO. Asplund’s full-time appointment is effective immediately.
“Dr. Asplund is a talented sports and family medicine physician and a renowned expert in areas of collapsed athlete, sudden cardiac death and sports cardiology,” Borchers said. “His decision to join USCAH is a testament to his commitment to athlete health and safety and our ability to deliver outstanding consultation, education and compliance is further elevated with his appointment as executive director.”
A 20-year sports medicine practitioner at the professional, Olympic, collegiate and recreational levels, Asplund currently holds an appointment as Professor, Family Medicine and Orthopedics at Medical College of Georgia. He also has served as medical director for USA Basketball, team physician for USA Hockey, USA Triathlon and Georgia Southern University and on advisory panels for the NCAA, NAIA, USAB and USA Triathlon. Asplund also is the past president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the largest physician-only organization for sports medicine physicians.
“I’m thrilled to be joining USCAH and a group of talented individuals who share my passion for athlete health and safety,” Asplund said. “To be a part of an independent organization that is collaborative and provides solutions for institutions and athletic organizations of all types and sizes is very exciting.”
The author of more than 75 peer-reviewed articles, Asplund has held academic appointments with seven institutions, including Mayo Clinic. His research is focused on sports injury epidemiology, sudden cardiac death, exercise associated collapse, mild traumatic brain injury/sports related concussion, sleep and athletic performance, with current protocols focusing on sleep and performance in firefighters and mental toughness in college athletes.
Asplund is a U.S. military veteran with the Coast Guard, Army and now as a flight surgeon in the Georgia Air National Guard. He served a combat deployment to Afghanistan, as Chief of Medicine at the 249th Combat Support Hospital, and is a recipient of the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and Army commendation medals.
Asplund’s combination of practical, academic and military experience will be an invaluable asset to USCAH as it continues to provide independent, third-party athlete health and safety consultation, education and compliance from a team of experts with nearly 300 years of experience in athletics healthcare and administration.
Founded in 2017, USCAH is committed to the health, safety and welfare of all athletes at all levels and dedicated to the mission of collaborating with every athletic organization to inspire and ensure athlete health and safety is a priority. As your partners in protection, USCAH works with institutions and organizations to reduce risk and make sports safer for every athlete.
