When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
U.S. Sports Chiropractic Federation Formed
A delegation of members of U.S. sports chiropractic organizations met to form the United States Sports Chiropractic Federation (USSCF) on August 12, 2000, in Denver, Colorado. Founding members included doctors from the ACA Sports Council (the American Chiropractic Association's Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness - ACASC); Care of the Elite Professional Athlete (CEPA); the Fâdâration Internationale de Chiropratique Sportive (FICS); and ProSport Chiropractic.
The immediate goal of the USSCF is to discuss the pooling of resources to more effectively promote the chiropractic profession through sports chiropractic here and abroad. The more far-reaching goal is to be the governing sports body for U.S. chiropractors and organizations, and to promote and develop the care of athletes and personnel at sporting events at home and abroad.
The USSCF was founded with groups such as the General Assembly of International Sports Federations (GAISF) in mind. The GAISF, along with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and others, each represents one voice reflecting the existing protocol of world and international sports governing bodies. This is foreseen by the federation as a new opportunity for sports chiropractic within the United States, by allowing participation in international events held in the U.S. and other sporting events around the globe.
A vote was taken to form an interim board of directors to oversee operations until May 2-6, 2001, when an election by the federation's membership will take place in Phoenix, Arizona at the Chiro Games 2001 event. The USSCF board of directors:
President - Brian Nook,DC (FICS)
Vice President - Tim Ray,DC (ACASC)
Secretary General - Monty Wilburn,DC (ProSport)
Treasurer - Ron Spallone,DC (CEPA)
An additional member of the board will be selected, but that member has not yet been announced.
Membership dues have been set at $55 per year until January 1, 2001, when the dues will be $75. The dues include individual membership in FICS. The next meeting regarding the board of directors and current membership will take place Friday and Saturday, December 1-2, 2000 in Las Vegas, coinciding with ProSport's annual symposium.
Anyone interested in membership to the USSCF may contact Dr. Wilburn at 970-224-2282 for an application and information.