SAN JOSE, Calif. –
The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that a team of Sutter Health doctors will serve as the Quakes’ official team physicians through the 2020 season. Since the start of the 2016 season, Sutter Health has also been the official jersey sponsor of the Earthquakes.
The team of physicians consists of Richard Gayle, M.D., Warren King, M.D. and Kier Ecklund, M.D. providing orthopedic care, with Daniel Ouyang, M.D. and Scott Matthews, M.D. serving as team’s primary care physicians. These doctors are all aligned with Sutter Health’s Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
“The health and wellness of our players is of the utmost importance,” said Earthquakes head athletic trainer Ron Shinault. “The Sutter Health doctors supporting us are of the highest quality with extensive experience in sports medicine, and we are grateful to have them as an extension of our team.”
Dr. Gayle specializes in arthroscopy of the shoulder, knee and elbow, including cartilage restoration surgery. A former NCAA Division I collegiate soccer player, Dr. Gayle graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and has since completed several fellowships. He is currently the team physician for U.S. Figure Skating, the U.S. National Rugby Team and the Oakland Raiders during their preseason training camp. Dr. Gayle previously served as the assistant team physician for the Raiders, San Jose Sharks and San Jose Saber Cats.
Dr. King joins the Earthquakes team of physicians specializing in wrist, shoulder, knee, elbow and ankle arthroscopic repair and reconstructions. He received his medical education from the University of Southern California School of Medicine and currently serves as the head orthopedic surgeon and chief of medical staff for the Oakland Raiders, U.S. National Rugby Team and College of San Mateo. Previously, he assisted in the care of the San Francisco Giants, San Jose Sharks, Golden State Warriors, U.S. Soccer, San Jose Blackhawks Soccer, Santa Clara University and San Jose Giants.
Dr. Ecklund focuses on treating athletic injuries to the shoulder and knee. After graduating from Yale Medical School, Dr. Ecklund completed fellowships at the University of California, Irvine and Stanford University Hospital & Clinics. During his fellowship at Stanford, he served as a team physician responsible for treating sports injuries at both Stanford and Santa Clara universities. Dr. Ecklund has served as an assistant team physician for the San Francisco 49ers and as an orthopedic physician at SAP Open Tennis, U.S. Figure Skating Championships and U.S. Olympic Gymnastic Trials.
Dr. Ouyang specializes in internal medicine and has more than 10 journal publications relating to various facets of his field, including sports medicine. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dr. Ouyang completed an internship, residency and fellowship with Stanford University Hospital & Clinics as well as a sports medicine fellowship.
Dr. Matthews joins the Earthquakes team of physicians with almost two decades of experience in internal medicine. After graduating from the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, he completed an internship and residency with Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, Santa Clara.
“Our doctors have a long history of teaming up with patients to help them achieve their best health,” said Elizabeth Vilardo, M.D., CEO of Sutter Health’s Palo Alto Medical Foundation. “As team physicians for the Quakes, our doctors are ready to deploy their expertise to support these world-class athletes so they may reach their peak performance.”
“For all the people we serve in Northern California, it’s about providing accessibility, support and encouragement,” said Arra Yerganian, chief marketing & branding officer of Sutter Health. “We’re very proud and humbled to expand our partnership with the Quakes, extending that same level of care directly to the sidelines.”
Sutter Health has represented the Quakes as the official jersey partner since January 2016. In addition to the Sutter Health logo adorning all first team and academy gear, including training tops and team travel apparel, the partnership has also seen Sutter Health join forces with the Get Earthquakes Fit program. Encouraging kids to lead a more active and healthy lifestyle, the program grew in the 2016 season to reach 40 schools in the Bay Area.
