FROM STAFF REPORTS

BIRMINGHAM – The Birmingham Iron football team has announced Brookwood Baptist Health, which is the parent company of Alabaster’s Shelby Baptist Medical Center, as the team’s official health care provider. A health care pillar in the community for more than 90 years, Brookwood Baptist Health represents the largest health care network in central Alabama.

Brookwood Baptist Health is the first founding partner of the Birmingham Iron and the first company to join the Iron’s “Community Champions” platform to donate 100 tickets to each Iron home game to community organizations.

Brookwood Baptist Health’s Precision Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, a premier provider of bone and joint orthopedic care and sports medicine, is the official orthopedic specialist for the Iron. Precision Sports Medicine and Orthopedics’ founding team of six sports medicine physicians and orthopedic surgeons have more than 70 years of combined experience treating patients on and off the field.

As a complement to the care provided by Precision Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, the official physical therapy and athletic training provider of the Iron is Champion Sports Medicine. With locations throughout Central and North Alabama, Champion Sports Medicine is a known leader in sports medicine, offering a wide range of physical therapy and athletic training services such as hand therapy, work injury prevention and management, pre- and post-operative rehabilitation and orthopedic and sports-related injury care.

“One of the most critical components to the success of any professional sports team is the health of its players. We are proud to partner with Brookwood Baptist Health, Precision Sports Medicine and Orthopedics and Champion Sports Medicine to help our players maintain top physical condition in order to perform at their highest level,” said Birmingham Iron Team President Tom Ward. “Our players recently completed comprehensive physicals conducted by a myriad of specialists from these healthcare providers, and we are extremely pleased with the superior care they received. We look forward to seeing the Precision Sports Medicine and Orthopedics team on the sidelines, knowing the confidence it gives our players to have such seasoned physicians ready and able to care for their physical wellbeing. Pairing the services of Precision Sports Medicine and Orthopedics with the physical therapy and athletic training services afforded by Champion Sports Medicine is a win-win.”

“The partnership is a natural fit with Brookwood Baptist Health and the Birmingham Iron aligned in our goals to perform at a superior level and our commitment to give back the community, promote health and wellness, and play an integral role in the future of the Birmingham area,” said Brookwood Baptist Health interim CEO Sally Deitch.

“On behalf of myself and my five esteemed colleagues, we look forward to caring for these athletes. Helping our patients is at the heart of what we do every day. We’re excited to have the opportunity to travel with the team and ensure the players receive the highest-quality care throughout the season,” said Dr. Robert Agee, Jr., sports medicine physician and founding member of Precision Sports Medicine and Orthopedics.

“With nearly 15 years of proven experience, we are extremely pleased to bring our legacy of sports medicine innovation to the playing field and look forward to supporting Birmingham’s newest professional football team during the Iron’s opening season,” said Champion Sports Medicine Regional Director of Operations Trent Nessler.