PHX Reporter

TUCSON, Ariz. (July 24, 2024) – Thanks to a sponsorship from the Tucson Conquistadores, Banner – University Medicine Sports Medicine & Orthopedics will provide no-cost sports physicals and concussion testing for middle and high school student athletes in Southern Arizona. The event will be held on Friday, July 26, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Cole & Jeannie Davis Sports Center indoor practice facility at 640 N. National Championship Drive on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson.

During the event, the Tucson Conquistadores Foundation will present the Banner Health Foundation with a $25,000 check to fund the sports physicals within the community. The check presentation will take place between 2:00-2:30 p.m.

Banner Health has expanded its youth sports medicine services with outreach to underserved communities to offer no-cost physicals through its Game On: Youth Athlete Support Fund.

The Banner – University Medicine Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Concussion team has partnered with the Tucson Unified School District to identify and register nearly 1,000 student athletes to receive services during the event:

Sports Physicals: Preliminary assessments are required across Arizona for middle and high-school students to participate in athletics, yet many parents cannot afford them.

ImPACT Testing: The Banner – University Medicine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Specialists provide baseline concussion testing for children and adults to identify neurocognitive, balance, fine motor, and visual integration issues.

WHAT/WHEN: Friday, July 26, 2024, from 1 - 5 p.m., sports physicals and ImPACT Testing; Check presentation from 2:00-2:30 p.m. Representatives from Banner Health, Tucson Conquistadores Foundation and Banner – University Medicine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine will be on-site for interviews.

WHERE: Cole & Jeannie Davis Sports Center indoor practice and training facility at 640 N. National Championship Drive in Tucson.

Best Parking: Media may park in the main lot outside the center’s entrance.

WHY: Injuries are an inherent part of any youth sports program. However, preventative programs like those funded by the Tucson Conquistadores can decrease injury rates by up to 50%. Many contact sports involve a risk of concussion; nearly one in four American teens has suffered at least one concussion. The “Game On: Youth Athlete Support Fund” covers costs for underserved students who would otherwise be unable to pay for these services.

WHO: Banner Health Foundation and Tucson Conquistadores Foundation

VISUALS AND INTERVIEWS:

- Twenty tents set up on a 100-yard indoor football field administering physicals and concussion testing.

- Check presentation with Tucson Conquistadores representatives at 2:00 p.m. within the indoor football field facility.

About Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South

Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Banner – University Medical Center South are part of Banner – University Medicine's academic medical network affiliated with the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. Included on these campuses are Diamond Children's Medical Center and various specialty clinics. These centers are part of Arizona-based Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in six states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information visit bannerhealth.com/universitytucson or bannerhealth.com/universitysouth.

About Banner Health Foundation

Established in 2001, the Banner Health Foundation engages communities through charitable contributions supporting patient care programs across Arizona operated by Banner’s hospitals and health care facilities. For more information visit www.bannerhealthfoundation.org.