Catamount fans might notice a new logo on the football field at Western Carolina University this season, as a partnership between Harris Regional and Swain Community Hospitals and the university has just been renewed for another four years. The renewed partnership comes as a sign of growth between two of the largest organizations in the state’s westernmost counties.
This longstanding partnership has made Harris Regional and Swain Community Hospitals the official health care providers for WCU Athletics and provides comprehensive health and performance support to Catamount student-athletes.
“Having a hospital geographically this close and willing to be here, be supporting, they’re basically a part of our team within the athletic department,” said WCU Director of Athletics Kyle Pifer. “When our athletes need medical care, there’s no hesitation.”
Harris Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, a department of Harris Regional Hospital, provides team physician coverage and collaborates with WCU’s athletic training and athletics staff as part of a coordinated network of care.
Pifer, WCU Chancellor Kelly R. Brown and Harris and Swain Community Hospitals CEO Ashley Hindman officially extended the agreement at a signing ceremony last week on WCU’s campus. The partnership renewal also comes with an increased brand presence and the hospitals’ logo added to the field and student athletes’ uniforms this year.
According to Pifer, speed and proximity to treatment are paramount to making sure student-athletes are not only fit to perform when it’s gametime but also in the classroom. This hospital partnership means WCU dedicated team doctors on site helping prevent and treat injuries.
“They are here. They are on site. If we need to get them to the hospital, it’s a quick run. We couldn’t function otherwise. That’s how important it is to have this partnership at Western Carolina,” Pifer said.
In addition to maintaining student-athletes’ health, Brown said the partnership is also significant to the community. When the two institutions work together, she said, it helps to strengthen them both.
“We focus on education; Ashley [Hindman] focuses on the healthcare,” Brown said. “Coming together, we really make a really great team for Western North Carolina, and I think that that’s what this partnership really talks about — doing this for the community, Jackson County, Haywood County and those to the west of us.”
Hindman said he was excited to be a part of WCU’s recent growth.
Last week, the university announced it expects a record-setting freshman class this year, which comes on the heels of strategic efforts to expand recruitment, strengthen academic programs and elevate the student experience, according to a WCU news release.
The previous fall enrollment record for the university was in 2018, with 2,186 incoming freshmen. This year, school officials believe the class could exceed 2,400, the highest in the university’s 137-year history.
Considering the decline in enrollment following Hurricane Helene, the university considers the projected rebound to be an indicator of significant economic recovery, the news release said.
Hindman sees this as an opportunity to grow together.
“We just want to be a part of that,” he said. “It’s great from our perspective. It may be a subtle recognition of the great healthcare we provide to the university’s athletic department. To entrust the care of their student athletes with our facility, our providers, that speaks volumes.”
He said it will be a springboard for more collaboration between the two institutions to come. Hindman said he was honored to be a part of this tight-knit community.
Classes begin at WCU on Monday, Aug. 17, and the first home football game kicks off on Aug. 29. Brown encouraged Catamount fans to purchase their tickets soon, as she expects the home opener to be a sellout.