One of the most important partnerships the Independence has established is with its medical partner, Premier Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Associates. This relationship provides all of the team's medical needs, including team physician, Dr. Anne Colton, and team trainer, Hollie Walusz. Premier is one of the most respected health care organizations in Delaware County, with outstanding physicians, resources and facilities. Premier is fully embedded in the Independence organization, caring for all of its players on a daily basis.
Dr. Anne Colton - Team Physician, Premier Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
Dr. Anne Colton, one of the senior partners at Premier Orthopaedic Surgical Group, is the Independence team physician. She began her interest in orthopaedic surgery as a Division I basketball player at the University of New Hampshire. It was there that she met an orthopaedic surgeon who helped her teammate return to the game after a season-ending ACL rupture, and Dr. Colton discovered the unique ability of a surgeon to restore athletes to full function.
After medical school at Temple University, and completing her residency at Penn, Dr. Colton furthered her surgical skills at the elite Rush University Medical Center, where she worked with the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls, along with serving as team physician for a professional women's softball team and a minor league ice hockey team.
Board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Dr. Colton is a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society and the Philadelphia Orthopaedic Society.
Hollie Walusz - Head Athletic Trainer
Hollie Walusz, MA, ATC, PES, joined Premier Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Associates in February of 2010 as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Philadelphia Independence and is proud to be a part of the Premier Orthopedic and Independence partnership and team.
Before Premier, Walusz worked at the College of William & Mary for three years as a Staff Athletic Trainer for the Women's Soccer and Men's Baseball team. Since January 2010, Walusz has also worked as an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the US Women's National Team providing daily health care domestically during training camps and internationally for the team at competitions and qualifying tournaments.
Walusz earned her BA in Athletic Training at the University of Northern Iowa and an MA in Sports Medicine with a specialization in Athletic Training from the University of North Carolina (UNC). While at UNC, Walusz worked as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for the UNC Women's Basketball, Crew and Fencing teams.
Walusz is CPR Instructor certified and holds a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) certification via the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
For more information on Premier Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Associates, please visit www.premierortho.com.