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Springfield
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame hosted its annual enshrinement ceremony this past weekend, and the Mercy Sports Medicine Athletic Training Program was inducted as part of the class of 2026. More than a dozen individuals and two college sports eras were also inducted.
“This is a true honor for all of our athletic trainers who care for student and professional athletes across Missouri,” said Dr. Rick Seagrave III, an orthopedic specialist at Mercy Springfield and medical director of Mercy Sports Medicine for Springfield.
Seagrave grew up alongside the Mercy Sports Medicine Athletic Training Program. His father was part of the team at Mercy that launched the program more than 30 years ago in Springfield.
From the start, Mercy envisioned an athletic training program that could both treat and prevent sports-related injuries. When the program launched, Mercy’s sports medicine athletic trainers cared for student-athletes at Missouri State University. Eventually, the program expanded to St. Louis, where Mercy worked with the St. Louis Cardinals to create a specialized program that met the needs of professional athletes.
Dr. Brian Mahaffey was a student-athlete at Missouri State when Mercy’s program was getting off the ground. Today, he is the medical director of Mercy Sports Medicine for St. Louis.
“Our program is built around providing the best care possible to athletes whether they’re at the high school, collegiate or professional level,” he said. “Since bringing the program to St. Louis, we have changed the face of sports medicine in our state. It’s an honor to care for these athletes.”
Mercy’s Sports Medicine Athletic Training Program has grown significantly and now extends beyond Missouri and into Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas. Mercy’s initial focus on student-athletes continues with athletic trainers supporting students during practices and games. The team now works with the St. Louis Cardinals, Missouri State University, Southeast Missouri State University, Lindenwood University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri Southern State University and Evangel University. Its athletic trainers work with students at more than 40 high schools, multiple club teams and the Missouri State High School Athletic Association.
