Marshall Sports Medicine Institute Provides Medical Coverage at State Championships

Through a new relationship with the West Virginia Secondary School Activities (WVSSAC) Commission, the Marshall Sports Medicine Institute (MSMI) will begin providing sports training coverage for all state championship sporting events in southern West Virginia.  

Tom Belmaggio, director of Marshall University Sports Medicine, said with this new outreach program that Marshall sets itself as a leader in the area of athletic training.  

“Since 2014, we’ve strived to be the leader in the field of sports medicine. We are very honored and excited that we are able to provide athletic training services to the WVSSAC,” Belmaggio said.  

Belmaggio also said the services will be provided through the Marshall Sports Medicine Institute and he thinks they will represent the university well at state sports events.  

“We have athletic trainers who work at various high schools and middle schools in the region. We have 18 athletic trainers some full-time and some part-time,” Belmaggio said.  

Belmaggio expressed the contract is not for physician coverage, but for athletic coverage. MSMI can provide physician coverage only in certain locations.  

“It really depends on where the sporting event is located. This past weekend, the state wrestling tournament was held in Huntington, so we were able to provide both physician and athletic coverage,” Belmaggio said. 

Belmaggio went on to say one thing he looks forward to seeing out of this new outreach program is the competition between high schools and middle schools. 

“When you look at these state championship events, it’s the mecca of events for sports in our state,” Belmaggio said. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the competition and it also makes our jobs fun as well—getting to sit at these events and cover them. 

“We have the athletes’ health and well-being at top priority. It puts us at the most thrilling part of the year for these student athletes,” Belmaggio said.