Advertisement

Hoffmann marks 25 years of sideline medicine

Error message

  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 133 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property 'settings' of non-object in _simpleads_adgroup_settings() (line 343 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 157 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in include() (line 24 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/templates/simpleads_ajax_call.tpl.php).

Dr. Jeff Hoffmann leads an injured Eagles player off the field during a recent game. He's been doing so for 25 years, since moving to Guttenberg in the early 1990s. (Press photo by Bruce Thein)

By Molly Moser

“With Doc on our sidelines, he takes care of our students  no matter what their illness or injury is. He has helped to make sure I could do my job by volunteering countless hours to take care of our students' health while they’re participating in football, and has served our community in a way that I am sure we will be forever in debt,” said head Clayton Ridge Football Coach Chad Harbaugh.

For 25 years, Dr. Jeff Hoffmann has been pacing the sidelines at football games in Guttenberg. 

“I just want to help young students and athletes,” Dr. Hoffmann explained. “I was a physical therapist, so I have an interest in sports medicine and training.” In 1991, Dr. Hoffman helped start the first local wrestling program for students. With borrowed mats, wrestlers began practicing in the Rathskellar building across the street from the school. He still attends home meets and helps the wrestling team by educating them in nutrition, health, and body fat count.

In 2013, Hoffmann was given the Iowa High School Athletic Association Sports Medicine Award during the 2013 Boys’ State Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Former Clayton Ridge High School Principal Kris Einck nominated Dr. Hoffmann for the award.

Hoffmann has contributed to the growth and development of the school district in many ways, from service as a school board member to yearly classroom visits to teach youth about the harmful effects of tobacco. Dr. Hoffmann and his wife, Carolyn, were key contributors in making the Stephen D. Shannon Athletic Complex a reality. Whether he’s on the new field or elsewhere, the doctor says that watching from the sidelines is very helpful from a medical perspective. “Seeing the actual injury gives me a better idea of what happened, so I can treat it appropriately and right away,” he told The Press.

“It’s extremely important to have someone that can diagnose and care for injuries on the sidelines. Keeping kids safe during any athletic event is always a focus.  Just because of the high number of kids participating and the physical nature of football, we have the need in most games for someone to tape an ankle or cover a scratch.  Once in a while something more serious needs attention and we are very fortunate to have someone like Doc to help,” said Harbaugh.

The biggest obstacles of sideline medicine, says the doctor, is awareness of injuries that aren’t obvious – like a player with a slight limp continuing to play. “Also, I keep an eye on those players that may have had a hard hit, and yet continue to play.  I am always concerned about concussions or spinal injuries that may not be that evident at first glance.”

Head injuries have become more prominent over the course of Hoffmann’s two-plus decades of service, with thousands of concussions each year during high school athletics. “Weight lifting is a standard now, thus the players are larger and faster.  Thus, the hits are more forceful.  Awareness of concussions has become a priority. Thanks to Kim Nieman, PT and the ImPACT program, we are able to have more objective data in evaluating the athlete and on advising when to return to play,” he said. 

The ImPACT test is a tool medical professionals can use to assist with return to play decisions. ImPACT scores provide objective data on how the athlete’s brain is functioning, helping coaches, parents, athletes, and medical providers make informed decisions about the athlete’s health. With help from Hoffmann and Nieman, all athletes in contact sports at Clayton Ridge are pre-screened as freshman and juniors to determine their individual baseline score for the ImPACT test. Should a concussion occur, the screening is re-administered within 24-72 hours and the athlete follows up with a physician. 

Hoffmann also keeps an eye out for blood on the playing field. “These players have to have the area covered immediately before they are allowed to continue to play,” he told The Press.

Athletics have long been a part of Dr. Hoffmann’s life. He graduated from high school in Arizona and attended Mesa Community College, where he was a member of a National Junior College Athletic Association championship football team. He also played football while attending Loras College in Dubuque. Dr. Hoffmann received a degree in physical therapy from the University of Missouri and a medical degree from Des Moines University. His sons, Zach and Alex, both participated in GHS and CRHS athletics. Zach was a member of the wrestling, golf, and football teams, and Alex played baseball and ran cross-country. Both sons went on to higher education in athletics-related fields of study.

“I enjoy helping the athletes. To see them grow emotionally, as well as physically, is very rewarding,” said the doctor. Since making Guttenberg his family’s home in the early 1990s, Hoffmann has been contributing to the school without fail – and he says the kids and their families are what keep him coming back, year after year.

Rate this article: 
No votes yet