Marshall Health News
Marshall Sports Medicine Institute staff, physician awarded volunteer of the year award from the West Virginia Soccer Association
9/25/2019
Huntington, W.Va. – The West Virginia Soccer Association (WVSA) announced Monday, Sept. 23, that Tom Belmaggio, ATC, and David Rupp, M.D., of the Marshall Sports Medicine Institute (MSMI) received the 2019 WVSA Volunteer of the Year Award.
Belmaggio, director of MSMI, leads a team of nearly 20 athletic trainers, strength and conditioning specialists and physical therapists who provide sports medicine coverage to the teams of Marshall University and area secondary schools. Rupp, a board-certified, fellowship-trained physician specializing in primary care sports medicine and an assistant professor in the department of family and community health at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, played soccer at Marshall University and coached for the WV Soccer Club while in graduate and medical school.
Belmaggio and Rupp won the award for their involvement with soccer and the community, promotion of the game and display of moral and ethical character. Both have invested countless hours of their own time and have recruited other sports medicine professionals to do so as well, all in support of the East Region events hosted by the WVSA. For the past several years, Rupp and Belmaggio have led the planning, organization and delivery of medical coverage for the US Youth Soccer East Region events hosted in West Virginia, including the National Championship Series and Presidents Cup tournaments in Barboursville and Dunbar. Their work to educate school administrators and policy makers on the importance of sports medicine services to young athletes – including the risks associated with heat illness, cardiac conditions, head and brain injuries and nutrition and hydration – reinforced the important messages of the Recognize to Recover initiative promoted by both U.S. Soccer and US Youth Soccer.
All of the winners will be honored at the 2020 WVSA Hall of Fame awards dinner on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at The Resort At Glade Springs in Daniels, West Virginia.
Media Relations Contact
Michele McKnight
Assistant Director of External Affairs
304-691-1713
mcknigh4@marshall.edu
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