Dolly Children's Teaming Up With Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic to Serve Knox County Student Athletes

Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital is teaming up with Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic (KOC) to better serve student athletes in Knox County schools.

“We are proud to team up with KOC to help student athletes stay healthy, safe and performing at their best,” said Matt Schaefer, President and CEO of Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital. “Together, we're investing in the health and well-being of young athletes and ensuring they have the support they need to return to sports safely and confidently."

Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic’s 13 certified athletic trainers provide care for Knox County students and are part of a larger sports medicine outreach program that includes more than two dozen trainers. The athletic trainers provide comprehensive sports medicine services to middle and high school student athletes throughout the community. With nearly 9,000 student athletes across the county, they deliver on-site medical care, injury prevention and rehabilitation support, as well as work with physicians and other pediatric healthcare experts at Dolly Children’s to help athletes recover safely and return to play as quickly as possible.

"Dolly Parton Children's Hospital was founded in 1937, and Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic followed in the late 1940s. Since then, our organizations have worked side-by-side to care for the youth of East Tennessee,” said Dr. Matthew Rappé, a sports medicine surgeon at KOC. “Our athletic training partnership successfully continues this legacy. Through this collaboration, we aim to reduce injuries, support safe return-to-play protocols, and ensure young athletes across East Tennessee receive excellent care both on and off the field."