Retiring Team Physician Honored By Council Rock North Athletics

NEWTOWN, PA — The Council Rock North Athletic Department on Tuesday publicly recognized team physician Dr. Chris Aland who is retiring after 30 years of service.

Over the years, Aland has volunteered his time - at no charge to the district - on the sidelines at countless football games, wrestling matches and during clinics in the athletic training room.

During halftime of the Council Rock North basketball game against Council Rock South, athletic trainer Mike Horan presented Dr. Aland with an award thanking him for his years of service dedication.

“We are grateful for Dr. Aland’s selfless service to the student athletes of both Council Rock and Council Rock High School North,” said Horan. “He’s always been our go to guy when the kids get hurt.

“And it’s simply unheard of for a physician to donate their time for 30 years. It shows that he was here for the kids. He was here on Friday nights when he could just as easily been at home,” said Horan. “And as an athletic trainer it’s important to have a relationship with a physician. I knew that I could go to him and get good advice and direction. Chris has always been my go to guy.”

Dr. Aland turned the kudos around, giving accolades to Horan who has served as athletic trainer for 25 years. “He’s a good clinician and he takes care of the kids. My job’s easy. I just get to show up.”

Dr. Aland said it was great seeing so many people he has known over the years show up for his special night. “The people here are not only coaches, but friends,” he said.

“Council Rock has been a second home to me,” said Dr. Aland. “It’s been a lot of Friday nights. It’s been fun to walk through the halls and feel like this is part of home.”

When asked how many players he has helped through the years, he said countless. “We’re talking more than 250 games,” he said.

Dr. Aland is a graduate of Loyola University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He served his residency at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

After serving four years of active military service with the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of major, Dr. Aland started practicing sports medicine in Bucks County in 1991. Twenty-one years later, in 2012, he joined the Rothman Institute.

Dr. Aland is board certified in orthopedic surgery and has 40 years of orthopedic experience as a sports medicine surgeon. He has been a long standing member of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine as well as the Arthroscopy Association of North America, where he previously served as master instructor in arthroscopic surgery.

Dr. Aland has focused his practice on the non-operative care of sports injuries, joint problems, degenerative arthritis and a wide range of musculoskeletal disorders. In addition to Council Rock, he served as team physician for Pennsbury, Upper Moreland, Bensalem and Morrisville high schools.

In 2001 and 2012, Aland was named Teacher of the Year by the Frankford Hospital system. He was also recognized in 2007 with the "Team Physician Award" by the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society.