PARK CITY, UT (Dec. 19) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has named eight noted doctors as head physicians to its USSA Medical Committee for the 2008-09 season. The committee provides leadership for the USSA's medical pool, which consists of more than 150 doctors, and more than 50 certified athletic trainers and physical therapists, who volunteer to travel and direct medical care for the organization's 15 national teams.

"We have a really good team of doctors who volunteer their time and energy to help the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes. They help us provide world-class medical services for our team," said USSA Medical Director Richard Quincy.

New to the group this year will be Dr. Sanjitpal "Sonny" Gill, a graduate of the Boston University School of Medicine who is with the noted Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, and Frisco, Colorado. Dr. Gill was named as head physician for the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team, according to Quincy.

Gill will be part of a team of eight physicians, which is led by USSA's Head Team Physician, Dr. Richard Steadman.

"Sonny has great knowledge and expertise of spine injuries and sports medicine that make him the ideal candidate for this position," Quincy said. "Plus, he has experience working with us already and is an active member of our medical pool."

The head physician for each team is the primary contact for the athletic trainers and physical therapists of each sport discipline concerning the treatment and recovery of the national team athletes. In addition, the physicians help review medical coverage for various elite-level events and work with the medical committee to establish protocols and procedures as well as regularly review emergency action plans.

"The USSA Medical Committee has been actively involved in helping coaches, trainers and medical staff of the adaptive team in identifying an appropriate head team physician for their program. It was a nice team effort in finding the appropriate person to help the U.S. Adaptive Team and join our program," Quincy added.

Gill is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery of the neck and back including athletic injuries of the spine. He completed his residency at the University of Virginia School of Medicine followed by fellowships in Spine Surgery at Emory University Spine Center and in Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic Surgery at Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, CO. Gill is also certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a member of the North American Spine Society for Sports Medicine, and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

The U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding's physician's pool was formed over 30 years ago and continues to be a leader worldwide.

USSA Medical Committee
Dr. Richard Steadman, Vail, CO (Chairman and chief physician)
Dr. Terrence Orr, South Lake Tahoe, CA (Men's Alpine Team physician)
Dr. William Sterett, Vail, CO (Alpine Team physician)
Dr. Vern Cooley, Park City, UT (Alpine Development Team physician)
Dr. Thomas Hackett, Vail, CO (U.S. Snowboarding physician)
Dr. Lawrence Gaul, Vail, CO (Nordic Team physician)
Dr. Andreas Sauerbrey, Steamboat Springs, CO (Freestyle Team physician)
Dr. Sanjitpal "Sonny" Gill, Vail, CO (Adaptive Team physician)
Richard Quincy, MS, PT, ATC, Park City, UT (USSA medical director)