Don Andrews embarks on new position with J. Pat Evans Research Foundation
FLOWER MOUND, Texas – Don Andrews, along with J. Pat Evans, is credited for the birth and success of the Justin Sportsmedicine Team that debuted at the 1980 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. At his 30th Wrangler NFR, Andrews will step away from his position as the Executive Director of the Justin Sportsmedicine Program to team with J. Pat Evans and Dexter Nelson, who was the founder of the Canadian SportsMedicine Program, full-time to raise awareness and funding for the J. Pat Evans Research Foundation.
“While the Justin Sportsmedicine Team has greatly influenced the face of rodeo and injury treatment during the last 30 years, I feel that the J. Pat Evans Research Foundation is the next step to the continued growth of rodeo from a medicine and sport science standpoint,” said Andrews, Director of Administration for the J. Pat Evans Research Foundation. “I am very passionate about The Foundation and feel that to make it successful, I need to devote my time to its mission, which requires me to step away from the very successful Justin Sportsmedicine Team.”
The goal of the J. Pat Evans Research Foundation (The Foundation) is to serve the participants of rodeo and roughstock events and ultimately benefit all participants in equine sports. Research and education is the cornerstone of progress in sports science and it is the path to future growth and development in the sport of rodeo, as well as most other equestrian activities. Unfortunately, research is an expensive undertaking, and without adequate funding very little progress can be made in understanding the basic physiological and psychological functions of the athletes in these most unique sports.
The research foundation will enable Evans, Andrews, Nelson and others in the fields of medicine, science and allied health to design and implement research projects that directly benefit competing rodeo athletes. Contributions, which are tax deductible to the grantor, will provide a significant return on investment for the future of rodeo and the involvement of sports science in all equine endeavors.
The Foundation’s medical, scientific and allied health staff will design specific studies exploring prevention, cause and effect of injuries common to athletes in rodeo, bull riding and other equestrian sports.
“We must be proactive in dealing with the cause and effect of repetitive rodeo injuries and determining the methods by which we can limit such forces generated to our athletes” said Andrews. “The Foundation is a first of its kind in rodeo and we have already established relationships with other medical and scientific organizations around the world who are involved in extreme action sports.”
In addition to its research, The Foundation will also fund annual educational scholarships for athletic training and sports science students with an interest in rodeo. The placement of these scholarships will emphasize the importance of research and development of equestrian sports and their athletes.
The Foundation will fund and make available to qualified individuals, grants that support medical and scientific research in equine sports. The primary goal of these grants will be to encourage research that will have clinical and field significance to the development of the rodeo athlete and the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries sustained by rodeo participants.
“We have already begun providing scholarships to college sports medicine and athletic departments with rodeo teams to further the education of students with an interest in the physical and psychological well being of the rodeo athlete as well as research grants for rodeo projects” said Andrews. “We view this as a significant step in the enhancement of the sport of rodeo and especially for the athletes who currently participate or aspire to in the future.”
The J. Pat Evans Research Foundation is a unique opportunity for interested parties to establish a lasting legacy and become a “lifetime partner” to the history rich sport of rodeo and other equestrian events. The contributor’s involvement in the Foundation is critical to the advancement of rodeo and will benefit the athlete’s performance and ultimately influence the promotion of the entire sport.
For more information on the Foundation visit: www.rodeoresearchfoundation.org.
