(From L to R): Judd Drake, Dr. Josh Priddle, and Sarah Ferrell.
ADA, Okla. – Building on an already successful partnership, The Clinic will begin providing athletic training care for East Central University's student-athletes beginning in the fall 2025 semester.
Sports Medicine specialist
Dr. Josh Priddle, CAQSM, AME, FAOASM, will lead The Clinic athletic training team at ECU. He will be joined by trainers
Judd Drake and
Sarah Ferrell, with additional trainers coming aboard soon. This team will care for more than 400 student-athletes at approximately 150 competitions each year, both on campus and on the road.
"Student-athletes have a demanding workload balancing sports and academics," said Priddle. "I'm excited to be working with The Clinic in bringing a comprehensive Sports Medicine program to ECU, where each athlete's needs – whether illness or injury – can be addressed quickly, getting them on the road to recovery and back to competing in their sport."
ECU, an NCAA Division II school, competes in 16 sports – baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and track for male athletes; basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track, and volleyball for female athletes; and three coed sports of eSports, spirit, and powerlifting.
"We are excited to expand our partnership with The Clinic to include athletic training services for our student-athletes," said ECU Athletic Director
Matt Cole. "Their expertise and commitment to quality care align perfectly with our mission to support the overall well-being of our students. Knowing our athletes will have access to timely, professional care gives us confidence that they can focus on their performance and academics with the right support in place."
Athletic trainers specialize in the management, prevention, and recovery of injured athletes, and are often the first medical professionals on hand following an injury. Since Priddle is a medical doctor, trainers will be able to immediately collaborate with him to provide emergency and follow-up care, as well as develop individualized injury prevention and treatment programs.
"Partnering with ECU is mutually beneficial and The Clinic is looking forward to developing a long-term working relationship," said Brenda Ware, CEO of The Clinic. "ECU is important not only to the Ada community, but to this part of the state and beyond. Moving forward, we are happy to provide ECU's student-athletes with the best training care available."
This marks the next step in collaboration between The Clinic and ECU. The Clinic opened a medical office on campus in January 2025, offering a comprehensive line of healthcare services to students. It is the first partnership of its kind in Oklahoma between a university and a community health center.
To learn more about The Clinic's involvement with ECU, visit www.cofmc.com/on-campus. To learn more about ECU Athletics, visit www.ecutigers.com.
About The Clinic
The Clinic @ Central Oklahoma Family Medical Center, or "The Clinic," is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) meeting a stringent set of requirements, including care services on a sliding-fee scale based on federal poverty guidelines. Governed by a board of directors, including patient directors, The Clinic remains thoroughly invested in the needs of patients and its service areas. The Clinic currently operates in four Oklahoma communities – Konawa, Ada, Seminole, and Stratford. To learn more about The Clinic, The Women's Clinic and The Kids Clinic, please visit www.cofmc.com.
