Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and the Portsmouth School Department today announced that Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has been awarded the Sports Medicine/Athletic Training contract with the City of Portsmouth’s High School and Middle School. Wentworth-Douglass Hospital was selected after an extensive Request for Proposals (RFP) process initiated by the Portsmouth School Department.

Assistant Vice President of the Wentworth-Douglass Musculoskeletal Service Line, Jon Beauchesne, says, “We are absolutely thrilled by our new strategic partnership and relationship with the City of Portsmouth, its high school, and middle school. Both the City of Portsmouth and Wentworth-Douglass share a common vision of providing best-in-class, comprehensive, sports medicine care to the student athletes of Portsmouth High School and Portsmouth Middle School.”

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has a strong presence in the Portsmouth community and has expanded the depth and breadth of its services in the disciplines of orthopedic, sports medicine and rehabilitation services at the Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, located at the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Portsmouth Outpatient Center on the Pease Tradeport. The center features fellowship-trained physicians specializing in general orthopedics, sports medicine, arthroscopic surgery, joint replacements, spine care, and hand and knee surgery collaborating with experienced rheumatologists and physical and occupational therapists.  The providers will offer enhanced access to expert surgical and nonsurgical musculoskeletal care to the Portsmouth region.

Through this sports medicine partnership with the Portsmouth School Department, Shammara Al-Darraji, ATC, of Wentworth-Douglass Hospital’s Rehabilitation Services team, will serve as Portsmouth High School and Portsmouth Middle School’s Athletic Trainer. Dr. Mark Cullen, an orthopedic surgeon, and Dr. Jennifer Hopp, a sports medicine specialist, of Wentworth Health Partners Seacoast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine will serve as the official team physicians.

Portsmouth School District Superintendent, Stephen Zadravec said, “The Portsmouth School Department is excited to enter this new partnership with Wentworth-Douglass Hospital to provide student athletes and their families access to a suite of musculoskeletal care continuum that is unmatched in the region.”

The Portsmouth School Department has a robust athletics program that annually attracts more than 1,000 athletes in more than 20 sports including: alpine skiing, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross-country, fall spirit, field hockey, football, golf, hockey, lacrosse, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, wrestling, and cross-country skiing, and many club sports. The Portsmouth School Department has been working closely with Dr. Cullen, Dr. Hopp, and local leadership on a safe “return to sport” plan following infection prevention and appropriate COVID-19 protocols.

Dr. Cullen says, “We are excited to support the Portsmouth Community as team physicians for Portsmouth High School, Portsmouth Middle School, and Portsmouth recreational sports. They have a history of very strong programs with outstanding coaches.”

“I am very impressed with the level of collaboration and professionalism that we have received from the Wentworth-Douglass team. Drs. Cullen and Hopp have been instrumental in helping us address athlete safety concerns as we navigate our COVID-19 ‘Return to Sport,’ plan. I look forward to working with the Wentworth-Douglass team to keep our athletes healthy, strong, and in the game,” said Portsmouth Athletic Director, Tom Kozikowski.

Vice Chair for the City of Portsmouth School Board, Tara Kennedy, who recently led a subcommittee regarding COVID-19 and fall sports said, “Wentworth-Douglass has been an excellent partner and we appreciate the dedication of Drs. Cullen and Hopp.  Their participation and responsiveness helped guide us while answering questions and outlining protocols to help coaches, parents, and athletes, understand the severity of COVID-19 and how we can safely hold training, practice, and games to mitigate infection risk.”