Dr. James Robinson, Endowed Chair of Sports Medicine for Family Physicians at the College of Community Health Sciences and longtime sports medicine physician for The University of Alabama Department of Athletics, retired in February.
More than 100 people attended a reception to honor and celebrate Robinson on Feb. 16 at the North Zone in Bryant-Denny Stadium, where congratulations messages scrolled on stadium digital billboards.
“The impact you have had on so many, that’s the true definition of success,” UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne said via video.
“My memories of Jimmy are not winning games but watching how he treated people and cared for his patients. He has a servant’s heart,” said Associate Athletics Director Jeff Allen.
Robinson has been a part of UA for many years. After graduating from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, he was accepted into the UA Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency in 1985. Aware of his interest in sports, the residency director at the time offered Robinson a rotation in Sports Medicine and he spent time with the University’s athletic trainers, learning what they did on a day-to-day basis. After residency, Robinson completed a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio in what was then a new field – Primary Care Sports Medicine.
He received a call from Sang Lyda, UA’s head athletic trainer at the time, who offered Robinson the position of sports medicine physician for UA Athletics. Robinson returned to Tuscaloosa and started his private practice, West Alabama Family Practice and Sports Medicine, and went to work with the Athletic Department, a position he has held since 1989.
In 2009, CCHS launched its year-long Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship for family medicine physicians, which Robinson helped create. Two years later, he became the College’s first Endowed Chair of Sports Medicine.
“Thank you for taking a chance on me as your first fellow,” Dr. Ray Stewart, assistant professor with CCHS and a sports medicine physician at UMC, said during the retirement reception.
Stewart said Robinson has had a tremendous impact on his life, both professionally and personally. “To go in every day and be taught, challenged, and driven by someone like him – he pushes everyone to do their best. It’s about doing things to a standard.”
Stewart said Robinson embodies what is so critical for medicine today. “The most important things he taught me is to be present, be available, and treat everyone the same.”
Dr. Richard Friend, dean of CCHS, said the College was fortunate to have Robinson as part of its faculty and medical practice for so many years. “He helped us create a sports medicine outpatient practice. Jimmy, I’m indebted to you.”
During his years at CCHS, Robinson taught medical students, resident physicians, and sports medicine fellows. He directed and provided patient care at the Dr. Bill deShazo Sports Medicine Center at UMC. He led teams of sports medicine physicians and fellows who provided care for UA football, gymnastics, softball, women’s basketball, swimming, track, rowing, and Adapted Athletics. He served as team physician for Tuscaloosa-area high schools, and at community events, like the Tuscaloosa Hot Hundred Bike Ride and the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon.
Robinson served as a physician for the U.S. Olympic team at the 2000 summer games in Sydney, Australia, and for the USA Team Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland. He served as co-chair of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s (AHSAA) Medical Advisory Board and played a key role in developing the association’s medical health and safety policies. He helped write the Alabama Concussion Law that today governs all athletic events in the state.
He has served as medical director of Encore/DCH Sports Medicine, the Good Samaritan Clinic, and the AHSAA. He has been a physician liaison to the SEC Sports Medicine Committee since 2014.
Academically, Robinson attained the rank of professor at CCHS, authored or co-authored more than a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles, secured research funding, and provided hundreds of regional and national presentations and lectures. He has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and honors including the: Slive Distinguished Service Award for the SEC; SEC Team Physician of the Year (twice); Sports Medicine “Person of the Year,” awarded by the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association; the AHSAA Distinguished Recognition Award; and induction into the AHSAA Hall of Fame.
Friend announced at the reception that an endowed scholarship was being established in Robinson’s name “to last forever. We’re grateful for everything you’ve done.”
Robinson thanked everyone in attendance, as well as those he has worked with in UA Athletics, CCHS, UMC, the AHSAA and others. “I’ve said I was going to change my cell phone number when I retired, but there are too many of you that I want to hear from.”