The doctor is in! A health care provider with ThedaCare was officially part of the medical team accompanying elite U.S. Ski Team athletes that headed to the World Juniors and U23 Cross-Country World Championships in Italy.
Dr. Jasmine Wiley, a Family Medicine Physician who sees patients in Clintonville, Tigerton and Shawano, is no stranger to overseeing the care of high-performing athletes.
For the past three seasons, Dr. Wiley has traveled with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard (USSS) Cross Country junior development team, traveling to Finland, Slovenia, Austria, and Italy for competition and training camps. This past November, she volunteered with the World Cup Cross Country and Moguls teams, working with Olympic-level athletes at the first World Cup races of the season in Ruka, Finland, just miles from the Arctic Circle.
“Having a physician with the team is very important,” Dr. Wiley said. “We can address any overuse or acute injuries or illnesses that may occur, and we help keep the athletes healthy and in top condition for their competitions and long seasons.”
Love for the Sport
She’s also no stranger to skiing. Raised in Clintonville, Dr. Wiley grew to love cross-country skiing as a child, skiing with her family. Her passion rekindled in college when she started skiing annually in the American Birkebeiner races, among other races with friends in college and throughout medical school and residency. Having helped coach a youth ski group at a local club in Madison during medical school, she sought her coaching certification through U.S. Ski and Snowboard and is a USSS level 200-certified cross-country ski coach.
Since returning back to northeast Wisconsin, she has been an assistant and head coach with Bay Nordic Junior cross-country ski team in Green Bay, as well as having served on the coaching team for multiple end of season championship trips for the regional Great Lakes division team. She also serves as the volunteer medical director for Ariens Nordic Center in Brillion that hosts biathlon and cross-country races and training year-round.
After an application process, physicians receive on-snow emergency training to become certified and officially join the U.S. Ski & Snowboard medical pool, Dr. Wiley explained. The medical pool serves all disciplines of USSS from cross country to alpine and snowboard, and physicians that travel with the teams volunteer their time and resources to travel during training and competition season. The physicians serve as the primary resource for the team head coach, physical therapist/athletic trainer, and medical director regarding any medical issues relating to an athlete’s ability to train or compete during the physician’s assigned trip. They also make recommendations regarding any follow up care or workup that may be needed, ongoing treatment plans, and oversee the medical needs of all the athletes on a trip in collaboration with USSS Sports Medicine Director and the Head Team Physician.
“Getting to be a part of the USSS programs and teams, and helping these athletes to compete at a high level and keep them in their peak performance is deeply enjoyable for me,” she said. “We sometimes have to help make those tough health-related calls about whether or not the athletes should compete if there is injury or illness, but the support teams are excellent and collaborative, and I am incredibly grateful to be a small part of what they provide for athletes.”
Sharing Knowledge
Dr. Wiley brings a wealth of knowledge to the U.S. ski team from her experience as a family medicine physician with ThedaCare.
“As a family medicine doctor, I see a little of everything,” she said. “I’m uniquely fitted to address a lot of the concerns that potentially arise while the teams are travelling, especially for the cross-country athletes. As opposed to the alpine disciplines where there is a lot higher chance of acute injuries that need orthopedic coverage, cross country skiing is an endurance sport. A lot of what we have come up are training related or chronic injuries, illnesses, and the occasional more acute injury.”
She explained that her daily work as a physician allows her to support the athletes and their general health and well-being during competition.
Her love for coaching, skiing and volunteering with the team also fits with ThedaCare’s lifeinspired™ movement, which focuses on creating a healthier, more vibrant future for everyone, including her patients and the elite U.S. ski team athletes with whom she works.
“I just absolutely love skiing,” she said. “I was not a super athletic kid growing up, and so skiing has been something that got me back into fitness and physical activity for health and enjoyment. The best part of coaching is getting to share and instill that joy in others.”
In addition to the excellent health benefits of cross-country skiing, Wiley said it has been important for her mental health as well to help reduce stress.
“My brain can take a break, and I can focus on skiing, being outside in nature and moving,” Dr. Wiley said. “It is a big stress management tool for me and has helped me get through some challenging times. That included using skiing as stress relief during those intense medical school and residency years.”
Culture of Support
The U.S. Cross Country ski team’s culture resonates with Wiley. The team instills within its athletes a culture and expectation of support, whether members are an athlete, technician, coach, or a doctor.
“I hope that I carry that through into my practice every day in my interactions with colleagues and our patients,” Dr. Wiley said. “I hope my experience carries over and helps create that same positive, welcoming environment that encourages people to be their best.”
Dr. Wiley wants people to feel empowered to connect with their primary care provider (PCP). A person’s PCP is a proactive partner in health, an advocate, and a guide on a person’s health care journey. Through wellness visits and preventive care, teams work together to identify potential health issues early, manage chronic conditions, and promote well-being.
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To view images from Dr. Wiley’s trips, please click here.
