Top-notch chiropractor offers massage to U.S. team at Kamloops
Greg Summers' logo
Dr. Greg Summers, a chiropractor in Washington State with a solid background in sports massage, will travel to Kamloops, British Columbia, in March to help his client Michael Waller, the world-class M50 sprinter. But he’ll knead you, too. This week, he offered his help (basically for free) to Team USA. Today came the reply: “The USA Track & Field Masters Committee accepts the offer of your services at the WMA World Indoor Championships in Kamloops BC with great appreciation,” said a committee rep in a letter shared by fellow Washington athlete George Mathews, the thrower. “Vice Chair Robert Thomas and Team Manager Phil Greenwald are available to help you through any details that may come up.” This is fabulous news! It’s the realization of a dream that sprang from a group of American athletes organized at Lahti last summer by Anselm LeBourne.
At Lahti, a small team of “physios” operated from the bottom of the stands at the start of the backstretch at the main stadium. But they were for British athletes only. Massage tables beckoned, but U.S. athletes needing such help were left to fend for themselves.
One notable example: M55 decathlon champion Bill Murray on Day 2 had to hire a massage therapist from a neighboring city at the last second at a cost of hundreds of dollars.
Yesterday, George Mathews (also a Kamloops entrant) wrote to Gary Snyder, national chairman of the USATF Masters T&F Committee:
I met Dr. Summers at the Pacific Northwest Association annual dinner recently. He is part of Michael Waller’s personal support team. He would like permission to offer his services to our team at the upcoming WMA Indoor World Championships in Kamloops. His said (he) would possibly not charge for his services. Maybe a love offering.
The attached vitae show him to be a very experienced professional who has helped many different athletes including Michael Waller make it to the next level.
I believe this is something that many athletes have been asking for.
He would appreciate your permission ASAP so he can begin to make his travel and lodging arrangements and what is needed with the LOC.
I believe he would be a great asset to Team USA.
Greg Summers
George included this professional resume of Dr. Summers, which indicates a great sports background. I also found references all over the Web to Dr. Summers helping aspiring Olympians, including this Boston Globe story about weightlifter Melanie Roach. (Melanie made it to Beijing and took sixth in the Games!)
Another great story appeared in The New York Times mentioning Dr. Summers.
I also wrote Mike Waller, who swept the M50 sprints last year at Oshkosh nationals, and Michael replied:
Hey Ken, don’t know what to else to say. He’s a great Doc. Great personality, very, very knowledegable. I’m with him because he gets results. He’s eradicated all of my chronic issues. He understands proper tonus and what to do when in a competition setting. What made me a believer was when Aaron Blake (M45) strained a hammy at UW indoor in the 60m and then after being worked on by Dr Summers, ran a PR in the 200 an hour or so later. He keeps me going!
So this is big-time support! Be nice to Dr. Summers, and tip generously.
8 Responses
We will greatly appreciate your service and Thank You!
Thank you so much for your service. I look forward to seeing you there.
We Brits are now jealous, as we are fielding so few bodies that we couldn’t cover the expenses of our normal chiro/physio support crew.
I’ve already been on the Net tracking down Kamloops-based chiropractors; I know I will need a crack after travelling.
Forecast for February 28, the day before the meet begins, is for a high of 50 and a low of 35, with a good chance of showers. Should be good for travel and for some of the outside events. I looked at the temps for the month so far; every high for Kamloops in February has been in the 40s or 50s. For some reason I thought that interior British Columbia was colder.
Thanks to Dr. Greg Summers for helping the team.
Hi Everybody,
Let me set the record straight. Anselm LeBourne had absolutly nothing to do with obtaining the services of a massage therapist for WMA events in fact I’ve had no communication with him ever. The Masters Track & Field Committee initiated the idea and approved it.
Thank Them!!
Gary Snyder
National Chair
USATF Masters T&F
Who ever set this up – many thanks – I hope the Masters Track and Field Committee that initiated the idea and approved it – has also thought of a system for providing what has to be a limited number of treatments to those truly in need of this service.
Lets make this work – so that we can have such a service available for the WMA in Sacramento in 2011 where there will be even more USA competitors.
I am not in favor of offering this “free”. This is One person offering a needed service. Who ever is in charge of this needs to come up with a plan for managing access before it becomes an issue.
The executive committee agrees with you 100% and I am working on just a plan. There is no way one person could support the 300 athletes we have coming to Kamloops. There will be some sort of payment system put in place to elimanate individuals abusing the services of Dr. Summer.
i am often amazed by chiropractors who can sometimes treat me in a matter of hours,,;
Leave a Reply