SSM Health named official medical provider of XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks

February 6, 2020 35

ST. LOUIS (Heartland Newsfeed) — Business affairs are being finalized leading to the kickoff of the revived XFL this weekend, business, as usual, has not changed for the St. Louis BattleHawks as they enter opening weekend, with news that they have announced that SSM Health has been named as the team’s official medical provider, according to a press release today.

SSM will be providing medical services for BattleHawks players in training and throughout their recovery. Professionals from SSM and SLUCare will jointly work together as medical staff on game day and will be present to attend to the health needs of players.

This move will satisfy one of the conditions set forth by the XFL: player safety

The full news release is below.

ST. LOUIS, MO (February 6, 2020) – The XFL St. Louis BattleHawks and SSM Health announced today a new partnership designating SSM Health as the team’s official medical provider. SSM will provide medical services to BattleHawks’ players for training, game days and recovery. SSM Health and SLUCare professionals will serve as the team’s gameday medical staff and will be present on the sidelines to attend to players’ health needs.

Throughout the BattleHawks’ season, the team and SSM Health will partner on “commUNITY huSTLe Days,” engaging and serving the St. Louis community through volunteer programs and activities with players, coaches and staff from both organizations. Planned community initiatives include hospital visits, blood drives, military appreciation events and youth flag football games. CommUNITY huSTLe kicks off this Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Operation Food Search, a local hunger-relief organization.

“SSM Health is excited to be part of bringing professional football back to St. Louis, and we’re pleased to provide medical care and certified athletic trainer support for the 2020 XFL season and beyond,” said Dr. Cody Bellard, SSM Health Sports Medicine physician. “The BattleHawks have already become a vibrant part of our region’s sports community, and we know even greater things are ahead.”

Nationally renowned sports orthopedist Dr. George Paletta will serve as medical director, in collaboration with SLUCare/SSM Health Sports Medicine specialists Dr. Bellard and Dr. Scott Kaar and a team of additional sports medicine physicians and certified athletic trainers. Dr. Jamil Neme will serve as head family medicine physician for the team.

SSM Health joins Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Select, Ameren and McDonald’s as BattleHawks’ founding partners for the team’s upcoming season.

The BattleHawks begin their season with two games on the road at the Dallas Renegades on Sunday, February 9 at 4 p.m. Central on ESPN and at the Houston Renegades on Sunday, February 16 at 5 p.m. on Fox Sports 1. The team will return to St. Louis for its home opener versus the New York Guardians on Sunday, February 23 at 2 p.m. Central at The Dome at America’s Center and broadcast on ESPN.

Jake Leonard

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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.