NWHL and NYU Langone Medical Center Enter Partnership

The National Women’s Hockey League and NYU Langone Medical Center announced on Monday that they have agreed to a partnership agreement for the 2016-2017 season.

NWHL commissioner, Dani Rylan said, “Forming this partnership with an elite medical institution like NYU Langone Medical Center is a giant step for our league. We are grateful to NYU Langone for its support of women’s hockey and look forward to working with them to maximize the health and safety of our players and to promote wellness throughout the sport of ice hockey.”

By forming the partnership, NYU Langone will become the official hospital for the NWHL as they provide care to the players throughout the upcoming season. NYU Langone and the NWHL will work together to promote health and wellness in girls’ youth hockey through educational programs, advancement of research and improved safety.

Dr. Andrew Feldman, MD, clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and medical director for the NWHL said, “The partnership provides a unique opportunity to establish continuity of care for these athletes, and it is the first pairing of a professional league with a major academic medical center, dedicated to the health and wellness of the players.”

Over the course of the season, the league will coordinate with NYU Langone as they bring players to pediatric programs at the facility. They will also run three community ice hockey programs during the 2016-2017 NWHL season. The league and medical center will also develop programs for girls’ youth hockey programs to teach safe and healthy participation within the sport.

NYU Langone will provide the league with game day medical coverage, as well as inviting the NWHL athletic trainers the opportunity to attend the NYU Langone Hockey Sports Medicine Conference to help them further their education on the subject.

Dr. Laith Jazrawi, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine at NYU Langone said, “Through this partnership, we hope to not only provide high quality medical care to the elite athletes of the NWHL, but also to develop research projects to inform medical guidance for all women and girls hockey players of all ages and levels of competition.”

In his role as medical director for the league, Dr. Feldman will oversee the partnership. Additional medical support will be provided by Dr. Jazrawi, Dr. Guillem Gonzalez Lomas, MD, head physician for the New York Riveters, Dr. Steven Sheskler, MD, Michael Alaia, MD, Dr. Dennis Cardone, DO, Dr. Warren young, MD, as well as the rest of the Sports Medicine Division within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone.

Lomas, who in addition to his duties as Riveters team doctor, is an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone added, “We are excited to provide medical support for the NWHL this season. It is inspirational to work with a group of role models for young girls like these elite hockey players who exemplify dedication and what it means to play for the love of the game.”