healthspin
by Nathan Borget
North Oaks Sports Medicine Program
Aims to Help Student Athletes
Nathan Borget,
MAEd, ATC, LAT
Head Athletic Trainer/
Supervisor
North Oaks Sports
Medicine/North
Oaks Orthopaedic
Specialty Center
From golfers to football players to band
members, the North Oaks Sports Medicine
Program’s goal is to keep Tangipahoa and
Livingston parish junior and senior high
school student athletes on top of their game.
The partnership dates back to 1994 when
North Oaks began working with the schools
to ensure their student athletes stay healthy
on and off the field.
Through this program, athletic trainers,
physicians and physical therapists provide
education for coaches, athletes and families.
They also offer onsite emergency acute care
at practices and games, and rehabilitation
to help injured players safely return to the
playing field.
Onsite services delivered by our state
licensed and nationally certified trainers are
at no cost to the student athletes, who must
be current members of their team’s active
roster. Members of local youth, amateur or
recreational teams and leagues also may take
advantage of the Sports Medicine services at
covered events.
Each year, more than 1,000 student athletes from
area schools take part in Physical Days in both
Tangipahoa and Livingston parishes. At the free
events, physicians, nurse practitioners, athletic trainers,
Southeastern Louisiana University athletic training
education students and North Oaks employees
volunteer their time to provide free physicals.
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The Sports Medicine program and
North Oaks Physician Group orthopaedic
surgeons also sponsor a “Student Athlete of
the Season.” They select both female and
male student athletes from Tangipahoa and
Livingston parishes who have a 3.0 grade-
point average or higher, excel in athletic
competition, participate in school and
community organizations and have earned
the respect of coaches, teammates, officials,
teachers and their peers.
In May, a male and female “Student
Athletes of the Year” are selected from the
“Student Athletes of the Season” honorees
for both parishes. This award is voted on by
the community.
Nominations are accepted from coaches,
athletic directors, principals and North Oaks
Sports Medicine athletic trainers.
The students, who must take part in verified
school-sponsored programs, are chosen from
the following schools:
Hammond High Magnet School
Independence High School
Kentwood High Magnet School
Loranger High School
Oak Forest Academy
Ponchatoula High School
Jewel Sumner High School
St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic
High School
Albany High School
Doyle High School
French Settlement High School
Holden High School
Maurepas High School
Springfield High School
Walker High School.
In addition, each year, more than 1,000
student athletes from area schools take
part in Physical Days in both Tangipahoa
and Livingston parishes. At the free events,
physicians, nurse practitioners, athletic
trainers, Southeastern Louisiana University
athletic training education students and