FOUNDER, DR. LAWRENCE “LARRY” LEMAK

founderIn 2001, after identifying a need to decrease the number and severity of injuries to youth, recreation and high school athletes, Dr. Lawrence Lemak founded the National Center for Sports Safety (NCSS). He devotes his practice, Lemak Sports Medicine & Orthopedics, 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:

  • Major League Soccer (MLS), Chief Medical Officer
  • NFL’s Europe League, Medical Director (past, 15+ years)
  • United Football League, Medical Director
  • Pop Warner Football, Medical Advisory Committee
  • USA Football
  • National Federation of High Schools (NFHS), Sports Medicine Advisory Board

 

Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA)As the Medical Director of NFL’s Europe League for more than 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 17 years. Not only does he treat professional athletes, he is also the team physician for many high schools and colleges in Alabama. He serves as a Medical Advisor to more than 10 orthopedic medical companies and is the Orthopedic Medical Director for Community Health Systems (CHS) and Drayer Physical Therapy.

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.

After Dr. Lemak brought the 1996 Olympic Soccer Games to Birmingham, Ala., 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.

Dr. Lemak is a graduate of The University of Alabama Medical School and completed his residency at The University of Pittsburgh. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA).

Dr. Lemak has been married to his wife Georgine for 50 years and they have three children—John, David and Matthew and seven grandchildren who all reside in Birmingham. In his free time, Dr. Lemak is a serial entrepreneur, travels extensively and is busy raising two Golden Retrievers.