Local Star Goes Pro: The role Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and Rehab 3’s Center for Athletes played in helping Ryan McKenna get to major league baseball. 

Congratulations to local star athlete Ryan McKenna, who has been drafted by the Baltimore Orioles! Ryan is a former patient of Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and recently took some time to tell us about his experience with our office staff and his training with our neighbors, Center for Athletes, a renowned training facility that offers sports-specific strength and conditioning programs designed to maximize sports performance.

Ryan’s first encounter with Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine was in 2007 when he broke his right femur playing Pee Wee football. It was then that he met Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine’s trauma surgeon, Dr. Charles Blitzer, who treated him in the hospital. Ryan was in a lot of pain and couldn’t play sports for about six months while he was recovering. But once healed, Ryan was back to playing sports…and excelling!

In October 2014, Ryan returned to Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine when he was treated for a torn meniscus by Dr. Gavin Webb, a specialist in knee arthroscopy. This time, it only took three or four weeks to recover and he was back to playing sports again, focusing on his dream of playing professional baseball.

According to Ryan, “Both Dr. Blitzer and Dr. Webb were very professional and caring. It was nice that they are both baseball fans as well.”

When asked what Ryan’s overall experience was with Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, he responded by saying “It was great. It’s a place that you hope you don’t ever have to visit but when you do, you are well taken care of. I highly recommend Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. All the staff is friendly and caring and I appreciate the support of everyone in my pursuit of a professional baseball career.”

As local sports fans, everyone at Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine has been following Ryan’s story, including Dr. Webb. “Ryan is a hard-working young man with a very positive attitude and very supportive family,” says Dr. Webb. “This has helped him to recover from several injuries on his way to being drafted. Ryan has been a pleasure to have as a patient, fun to watch as an athlete, and I congratulate him on his success and wish him all the best in major league ball.”

Throughout his high school career, when he wasn’t injured, Ryan spent countless hours training at Rehab 3’s Center for Athletes, where he focused on strength and agility training using specific techniques. Ryan could not say enough great things about CFA, particularly the staff. He worked closely with CFA coordinator, Tim Merchant, ATC, CSCS, PES, and director, Bill Stewart, ATC, CSCS, PES. According to Ryan, “Center for Athletes is awesome! Tim and Bill helped get me ready for each season. This has been a huge part of my success.”

And of course, the feeling is mutual. The staff at CFA all say that Ryan was great to work with and train.  “We have had the pleasure of training Ryan at CFA for the last 6 years,” says Tim. “It is rare to find a person with Ryan’s athletic ability, matched with his determined nature and humble attitude. He is an impressive athlete but an even more impressive young man. We all wish Ryan the best of luck in the next stage of his baseball career.”

Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and CFA are proud to be a part of Ryan’s journey to the big leagues and wish him the best of luck in Baltimore. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this bright and talented young man from the Seacoast of New Hampshire.