YSA Board

Michael F. Bergeron, Ph.D., FACSM
President and Chief Executive Officer

Michael F. Bergeron, Ph.D., FACSM is President and Chief Executive Officer of Youth Sports of the Americas. He is also Senior Vice President of Development & Applications for the Center for Advanced Analytics in Sport & Health of Game Changer Analytics – a Division of Game Changer Tec.

Internationally recognized for his research and leadership in exercise-heat stress and physiological strain, hydration challenges in sport, youth athletic health and sport concussion, Dr. Bergeron co-chaired and is the lead author on the 2015 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Consensus on Youth Athletic Development and the 2012 IOC Consensus on Thermoregulatory and Altitude Challenges for High-Level Athletes. He is a Fellow and past Trustee of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and served a 4-year term as a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Medical Advisory Committee for Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. and the Academic Advisory Board for the International Olympic Committee postgraduate Diploma Program in Sports Medicine. Dr. Bergeron serves as an Editorial Board member for the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism and Journal of Athletic Training. He also serves as Clinical and Scientific Consultant to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) professional tour medical services and Heat, Hydration and Research Advisor to Major League Soccer (MLS).

Dr. Bergeron has published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific and clinical articles and chapters in a variety of recognized and respected journals and books; and he has participated in over 250 regional, national and international research and educational presentations, symposia, summits, roundtables, and specialty courses on topics related to sports nutrition, exercise training and performance, sport concussion, fluid and mineral balance, and effects of heat stress on exercise performance, health and safety for a variety of universities, medical centers and professional organizations and associations, and the Department of Defense. Dr. Bergeron has also participated in a number of Congressional Briefings in Washington, DC and testimonies for several State Legislatures on physical activity, health and safety in youth sports, and sport concussion. He currently serves as a reviewer for over 25 clinical and scientific journals; and he served (2001-14) as a reviewer for the United States Army Medical Research and Material Command (USAMRMC) on: 1.) Disease Prevention and Epidemiology, 2.) Bone Health and Military Medical Readiness (BHMMR), 3.) Military Nutrition Research, 4.) Injury Prevention, Physiological and Environmental Health Award (IPPEHA) and 5.) Military Operational Medicine Peer Review Panels for the Congressionally Directed Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP), as well the Peer Review Panel for the Defense Medical Research and Development Program (DMRDP).

Dr. Bergeron has worked with numerous youth, collegiate, and professional athletes and teams on appropriately and safely enhancing athletic capacity and resilience by providing individualized and sport-specific training and nutrition/hydration guidance, with a particular emphasis on preparation, competition, and recovery strategies in the heat and helping athletes to avoid exertional heat illness and injury. Because of his recognized expertise and reputation among athletes, coaches and sport and sports medicine governing bodies, Dr. Bergeron has been regularly featured as the “go-to” expert resource on myriad national television and radio shows, as well as in numerous online and print media and publications.

Lawrence Lemak, M.D.
Chairman of the Board

Lawrence Lemak, M.D., Chairman of the Board – Youth Sports of the Americas, is the Founder of Lemak Sports Medicine & Orthopedics, a center of excellence in orthopedic surgery with expertise in all areas of orthopedics and primary care sports medicine. Dr. Lemak devotes his practice to sports medicine and knee replacements and is a nationally recognized leader in his field.

With vast experience in sports medicine and his passion for the safety of athletes at every level of participation, Dr. Lemak serves as a member of the Medical Advisory Boards of Pop Warner Football, USA Football, and the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA)—sharing his knowledge and lending his expertise to these organizations.

Dr. Lemak founded the National Center for Sports Safety (NCSS) in 2001 after identifying a need to decrease the number and severity of injuries to youth, recreation, and high school athletes. The NCSS educates youth and high school coaches on the prevention and care of athletic injuries and has educated over 20,000 coaches since its inception.

Dr. Lemak’s devotion to sports medicine led him to found and chair the Alabama Sports Foundation in 1996—bringing the highest level of sports competition to Birmingham, Alabama. In addition, he was a founder of the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), a research and education institute for sports medicine, which has produced volumes of research for sports medicine and has educated over 250 orthopedic surgeons and family practitioners in sports medicine.

As the Medical Director of NFL’s Europe League for over 15 years and presently serving as the Medical Director of the United Football League, Dr. Lemak has cared for over 2,000 professional football players. In addition, he has been the Medical Director for Major League Soccer for 20 years. Not only does he treat professional athletes, he is also the team physician for many high schools and colleges in Alabama. He also serves as a Medical Advisor to more than 10 orthopedic medical companies and is the Orthopedic Medical Director for Community Health Systems (CHS).

After Dr. Lemak brought the 1996 Olympic Soccer Games to Birmingham, along with many other sports medicine endeavors in the community, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame with the Distinguished Sportsman Award in 1997. Dr. Lemak was the first physician to be inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame for his devotion to the care and safety of high school athletes in the State of Alabama. He is the recipient of numerous awards for service to the community such as: the “Outstanding Alabamian Award” (proclaimed Dr. Lawrence Lemak Day) and “Businessman of the Year.” In addition, the Florida Athletic Trainers Association named Dr. Lemak “Person of the Year” in 2006. Dr. Lemak has also served as chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at USF from 2004-2008.

Julian E. Bailes, Jr. M.D.

Julian E. Bailes, Jr. M.D. is the Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at NorthShore University HealthSystem, Co-Director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute and a Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine.

Dr. Bailes is a nationally recognized leader in the field of neurosurgery and conducts research on the impact of brain injury on brain function. He has performed both clinical and experimental studies on mild traumatic brain injury or concussion, particularly in athletes and military veterans. Dr. Bailes has more than 200 manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals, and he has authored five books concerning various aspects of neurological surgery. He has expertise in cerebrovascular, epilepsy surgery and brain tumor and skull base surgery and is ranked in the top 1 percent of neurosurgeons by U.S. News & World Report. In 2014, Dr. Bailes was chosen as a Chicago top neurosurgeon by Chicago Magazine.

Dr. Bailes has received more than $27 million in research funding during his career, and is Chairman of the Medical Advisor Board of Pop Warner Football, the nation’s largest and oldest youth football organization, as well as being an advisor to the NFL Players’ Association and the NCAA on neurological injuries.

Jean Côté, Ph.D.

Jean Côté, Ph.D. is professor and Director in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University at Kingston (Canada).

Dr. Côté holds a cross appointment as a visiting professor in the School of Human Movement Studies at the University of Queensland in Australia and at the University of Gloucester in England. His research interests are in the areas of youth sport, coaching, sport expertise, and positive youth development. He has published more than 150 refereed papers on a variety of coaching and sport psychology topics and has given over 300 invited scientific presentations. Dr. Côté is regularly called on to present his work to both sport governing organizations and academic conferences throughout the world, and he has delivered 45 keynote addresses at major national and international conferences.

Dr. Côté was a co-editor of the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology from 2008 to 2011. In 2009, Dr. Côté was the recipient of the 4^th EW Barker Professorship from the Physical Education and Sport Science department at the National Institute of Education in Singapore, and he received the Queen’s University Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision for 2013. Dr. Côté was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Consensus Meeting on youth athletic development held at the IOC headquarters in November 2014. And, in collaboration with Dr. Ronnie Lidor, Dr. Côté recently completed the first comprehensive book on talent development in children’s sport which was published in 2013 by Fitness Information Technology.

Barbara Humphrey

Barbara Humphrey is Founder and Head Coach of Speed City Summer Track Club, a non-profit 501(c)3, bringing years of experience and success to this established and well-recognized club for youth.

Mrs. Humphrey was a 4-year letterman in track and field at Jackson-Olin High School and was undefeated in the 400 and 200-yard dash her senior year. That year, she won the state meets in both events and also anchored the winning 4X100 and 4X400 relay races – all of this aiding in her girls team winning the State Track Meet in Class 5A. In 1986, Humphrey received a full scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham as a member of their 1^st Track and Field team, where she was also a scholar student, majoring in History with a minor in Health. There she set the school record in the 400-yard dash at 53.30 seconds, which still stands as a record today; and she is ranked in the school’s TOP-5 200-yard dash. Mrs. Humphrey was also a NCAA qualifier in both the 400 and 200-yard dash.

After her track career at UAB, Mrs. Humphrey went back to her high school alma-mater to start her coaching career. She was able to assist in coaching the girl’s team to win the State 5A Championship. She also coached athletes such as Vonetta Flowers, who became Alabama’s first African-American female to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. In 2007, Humphrey put on the Birmingham City School’s 1^st Track and Field Outdoor Track Clinic called “Born to Run.”

While coaching her children is the primary reason Mrs. Humphrey started the Speed City Summer Track Club, she enthusiastically shares the love of the sport and her knowledge to assist other athletes in receiving scholarship to various universities and colleges. Speed City will be celebrating its 10^th anniversary in 2016, with the club averaging over 100 athletes each summer. The youth athletes come from Birmingham, as well as surrounding municipalities; and they compete locally as well as nationally in numerous major cities. While many of the Speed City participants finish their summer being ranked among the top 20 in the nation, Humphrey motivates all the young athletes to achieve leadership, discipline and integrity through the sport of track and field.

Barbara Humphrey is married to University of Alabama football and NFL great Bobby Humphrey. She is a proud mother of five beautiful children – three boys and two girls – and is very active in her church. Humphrey is a certified Level 1 USATF Track Coach, and she also has certification from the AAU Double Goal Coaching Alliance. In May 2015, Mrs. Humphrey finished serving eleven years as the Head Track and Field Coach at Simmons Middle School in Hoover, Alabama, where twice in her coaching career there she received Metro Girls Coach of the Year.

Pete Martinez

Pete Martinez serves as Chairman and CEO of Game Changer Tec LLC; a high innovation enterprise at the intersection of Sports, Health, Technology, and Big Data Analytics. An international entrepreneur, he has led numerous high impact initiatives in the areas of high technology, business consulting, healthcare, and education.

During his 32-year tenure with IBM, Mr. Martinez, Vice President of Global Business Services and the Senior Location Executive for IBM South Florida, led a 1,700-person organization composed of consultants, hardware and software developers, industry specialists and sales leaders. He led projects in the areas of advanced research, supercomputing and information-based medicine. In 2003, Martinez led the formation of IBM’s largest Business Transformation Multi-client Center that has opened a multi-billion dollar outsourcing business. Previously, he led the formation of business consulting and system integration services in Latin America a 2000-person, 17 countries, $1 billion business. He was also the founding executive of IBM’s e-business Strategy Consulting and Consulting Profession Leader for the Americas. Martinez also led the creation of the IBM University Consortium ‘LA Grid’ (Latin America Grid) and the advanced pandemic global research initiative ‘Project Checkmate’ in partnership with The Scripps Research Institute. Among other career highlights, Martinez was part of the original IBM Personal Computer team and one of the founders of IBM’s Internet Division and eBusiness Consulting.

Mr. Martinez is also Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is a visiting professor at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University. Additionally, he is Chair of the University of Miami School of Engineering Advisory Board, Chair of the Florida International University School of Computer Science Advisory Board, member of Florida Atlantic University’s Engineering Advisory Board, member of the Florida International University MBA Advisory Board, and is Chairman Emeritus of the Florida Research Consortium Board of Directors.

Mr. Martinez is President of the Association of Cuban Engineers, past Chairman and Senior Vice President of Palm Beach Medical Education Company (developer of the first investor funded Medical Education program in the US), past Co-Chairman of Cloud Industries Health, a visionary technology and services enterprise and is a past member of the Board of Directors of Net.Orange, a leading healthcare technology and services organization. He was Senior Vice President of the Quantum Group and core to taking it public through the Initial Public Offering.

Mr. Martinez is also an executive member of the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative (www.pcpcc.net) and serves as co-chair of the Center for eHealth Information Adoption and Exchange (CeHIA). This national organization defines initiatives to support and enable the development and broad adoption of information technology in private practice and among community practitioners. Mr. Martinez is also a member of the Board of Advisors of the Caridad Center and is a Trustee of the Palm Healthcare Foundation.

Martinez has over 30 patents and technical publications in the areas of: healthcare, computer architecture, robotics, optical disks and display technology. Martinez is a frequent key note at international conferences and has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, ABC News, The Economist, Univision and CNN and has presented at the United Nations.

Mr. Martinez holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Miami where he was named the Distinguished Alumnae (1998) and a Member of the Tau Beta Pi and Iron Arrow Honor Societies. In 2002 he was awarded the “Engineer of the Year” by the Association of Cuban Engineers, and in 2004 was inducted into the Miami Dade College Hall of Fame. Florida International University bestowed the 2007 Cal Kovens Service Medallion Award on Mr. Martinez. June 22, 2007 was proclaimed “Pete Martinez Day” by the Mayor of the City of Boca Raton, Florida.

Flavia Meyer M.D., Ph.D.

Flavia Meyer M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor at the School of Physical Education, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS, Brazil). Dr. Meyer is also a faculty member for the Human Movement Graduate Program at UFRGS where she has supervised 7 Doctoral and over 25 Masters’ students. Dr. Meyer received her Medical Doctor degree from UFRGS, followed by a two-year Residency in Pediatrics at Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA, UFRGS). She also completed a specialization course in Sports Medicine at UFRGS, under the supervision of Professor Eduardo H. de Rose who encouraged her to work in the area of Sports Medicine with youth athletes and get involved with international athletics/sports events. Dr. Meyer completed her PhD at McMaster University (Medical Science Program) in Canada under the supervision of Professor Oded Bar-Or at the Children’s Exercise and Nutrition Centre. Her doctoral thesis involved a series of studies on fluid balance, thermoregulation and hydration in exercising youth. These studies were published in journals such as Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism in collaboration with renowned experts such as Drs. Oded Bar-Or, Duncan MacDougall and George Heigenhauser.

Dr. Meyer continues working in the area of pediatric exercise with the emphasis of thermoregulation, hydration and nutrition, and she has published extensively in these areas specific to sweat-prompted fluid and electrolyte losses, sex and maturation effects and performance related to exercise-heat stress in youth athletes. Dr. Meyer has been awarded by the Brazilian and Regional Research Council (CNPq, FAPERGS). She was also a contributor for The Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine: An IOC Medical Commission Publication and is the chief Editor of an upcoming 2016 book entitled Fluid Balance, Hydration and Athletic Performance. This book covers key aspects of hydration and fluid imbalances in athletes of different age groups, sport activities and demands and clinical risk conditions; and it is written by recognized experts in their respective research areas including Professors Michael Bergeron, Ron Maughan and Louise Burke. Dr. Meyer was a lead invited speaker on the topic of the young athlete for the IAAF Consensus Conference on Nutrition for Athletics in Monaco. Recently, Dr. Meyer has been working on examining important health- and education-related issues and attitudes of developing young athletes; and, with this purpose, she participated in the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. She has also been a key contributor in developing recent Consensus Documents of the Brazilian Society of Sport Medicine.

Timothy C. Sell, Ph.D., P.T.

Timothy C. Sell, Ph.D., P.T. is a physical therapist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University. He serves as the Director of the Michael W. Krzyzewski Human Performance Laboratory (K-Lab).

Dr. Sell has wide-ranging experience in biomechanical, postural stability, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal assessments with a particular focus on lower extremity injuries; and he has published and presented extensively on these topics. During his research career, Dr. Sell has focused on the role of functional joint stability in the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries. Currently, he has a four-year (ongoing) study that includes yearly assessment of injury risk and a prospective study of injury in Division I athletes across five different sports. Dr. Sell has also conducted post-injury assessments of strength, postural stability and kinematics of professional athletes who have suffered hip injuries in golf, hockey, baseball and basketball. Moreover, he has assessed the effects of maturation and age on strength, balance and landing biomechanics in youth athletes between the ages of 11 and 18 years. Dr. Sell’s research has also included the examination of fatigue on risk factors for injury and the development and validation of injury prevention and performance optimization programs.

Dr. Sell earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy in 1993 and a Master of Science in Human Movement Science in 2001, both at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science in 2004 from the University of Pittsburgh.

Darin White, Ph.D.

Darin White, Ph.D. is Professor of Marketing and founding director of the Sports Marketing program in the Brock School of Business at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He also serves as Chair of the American Marketing Association’s Sports Marketing Academic Society, the leading international scholarly body charged with expanding the knowledge base of the field of sports marketing. Dr. White has been an American Marketing Association Consortium Fellow and was named Brock School of Business Outstanding Scholar. In 2012, he was named Brock School of Business Faculty Member of the Year for Undergraduate Teaching.

Dr. White serves on the board of directors for several nonprofit sports organizations including the Alabama Sports Foundation and Daniel Sports Summit. He also mentors future sports business professionals through a highly inter-professional learning community. Dr. White’s research interests include corporate strategy in sports, social media in sports, sponsorship, branding and athlete endorsements. He serves on the editorial review board for two refereed sports business journals and has authored more than 50 journal articles and conference proceedings.

Dr. White is a highly sought resource for media seeking insights into sports business, and his comments have appeared in numerous media outlets including Washington Post, USA Today, ESPN Radio, Mashable, Al Jazeera, Sports Business Daily, International Business Times, NPR, Bleacher Report, and the Capital Gazette. He has also worked with a variety of sports professionals through organizations including the NFL, NBA, Miami Dolphins, Adidas, SEC, Nike, PGA, MLS and Manchester United’s sponsor AON.

Dr. White spent twelve years as a college soccer coach and was named Men’s College Coach of the Year by Adidas and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NAIA south region). Two years earlier he led Union University men’s college soccer team to a NCCAA national championship. He was also awarded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Certificate of Recognition. Dr. White earned his Ph.D. in marketing at the University of Alabama.

Directors

Steve Gera
Director of Applied Sport Technology

Steve Gera is Director of Applied Sport Technology for Youth Sports of the Americas. In this role, Steve advises YSA on all applied technology platforms engagement and development.

Steve Gera is a former officer in the United States Marine Corps who has gone on to coach and scout in the National Football League, run multiple businesses, and teach at top universities. Steve runs winningAlgorithms Inc., and advises elite organizations across the globe in strategy, structure, culture, leadership, and performance science. He has worked with a number of world-class teams, such as Real Madrid CF, TeamSky Cycling, Saracens Rugby, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia 76ers, Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and the United States Marine Corps. He has also advised at the League level in the NBA, Premier League, and Major League Soccer.

Steve served as the Head of Innovation for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL where he managed the daily operations of the team and coordinated all strategic advances in coaching, science, and technology. Before moving to Cleveland, Steve was an Assistant Coach and Analyst for the San Diego Chargers. He joined the Chargers in the Front Office as a salary cap, scouting, and player personnel specialist. He then directed the Chargers analytics and technology program and would go on to coach wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. Steve teaches at Wharton, Universidad Europea de Madrid, and San Diego State University. He resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife Stacey.

William “Roddy” McGee, D.O.
Region Director of Sports Medicine – Las Vegas

William “Roddy” McGee, D.O. is Region Director of Sports Medicine – Las Vegas for Youth Sports of the Americas. In this role, Dr. McGee is YSA’s “voice” and lead clinical advisor in building and promoting programs consistent with YSA’s mission and goals in the Las Vegas and surrounding regions.

Dr. McGee is an orthopedic surgeon with Total Sports Medicine & Orthopedics in Las Vegas, NV. With sub-specialty fellowship training in sports medicine, Dr. McGee treats numerous athletes at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is the team physician for College of Southern Nevada’s Athletic Programs; and he also works with the Justin Boots Sports Medicine Team which cares for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the National Finals Rodeo. Dr. McGee works integrally with many youth sports organizations and closely with several area high schools in Las Vegas.

Dr. McGee is a reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine. He is also the Associate Program director for the Valley Hospital Orthopedic Surgery Residency, and he is an associate professor at Touro University Medical School.

After an orthopedic surgery residency in Chicago, Dr. McGee completed additional training in sports medicine with Dr. Lawrence Lemak at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to beginning medical school, Dr. McGee was a Division I college outfielder and pitcher at the University of Utah.