About John Doherty

John Doherty is a physical therapist and athletic trainer in Munster.

He has been the head athletic trainer at Munster High School since 1985 after earning his Master's degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis and his Bachelor's degree from Notre Dame.

He is a member of the St. Johns Prep Athletic Hall of Fame in Danvers, Mass., where he attended high school and was a three-sport student trainer and manager for four years.

The Is have it: Illinois feels same heat as Iowa, Indiana next

John Doherty Times Correspondent

One day after I wrote last week's column on Iowa banning two-a-day high school football practices effective this fall, the Illinois High School Association announced its own plan to battle heat illness. It didn't go as far as Iowa. Instead, i…

Sun setting on two-a-days

John Doherty Times Correspondent

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine isn’t the first place administrators, athletic trainers, coaches, and team physicians refer to for guidance. However, a study published there in January and cited last week in Scientific American wa…

SPORTS MEDICINE: Injuries which are tough to stomach kneed watching

John Doherty Times Correspondent

Rather than Manti Te’o not being drafted in the first round, D.J. Hayden being taken by Oakland with the 12th overall pick should have been THE story of last week’s NFL draft.

JOHN DOHERTY: Haste makes for waste at higher levels

John Doherty Times Columnist

The higher the level of sports, it is logical to assume, the better are the agents, athletes, coaches, management types, medics and scouts.

JOHN DOHERTY: Achilles tendon injury fatal only to Achilles

John Doherty Times Columnist

According to Greek mythology, Achilles was an invincible warrior during the Trojan War.

JOHN DOHERTY: Achilles tendon injuries fatal only to Achilles

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

According to Greek mythology, Achilles was an invincible warrior during the Trojan War. His power, it was thought, came from being dipped in the River Styx as a child by his mother. However in so doing, she gripped him tightly by the back of …

JOHN DOHERTY: Questions loom as NCAA hoops season ends

John Doherty Times Columnist

With Monday's final game of March Madness, we now know which is the best men’s college basketball team in the land.

JOHN DOHERTY: In new season, baseball clings largely to past

John Doherty Times Columnist

New helmets, strong enough to withstand a 100 mph fastball, will be the law of the land in Major League Baseball this season. Supposedly they will prevent concussions.

'New' concussion guidelines long overdue

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

Since their release eight days ago, the updated Sports Concussion Guidelines issued by the American Academy of Neurology have generated quite the buzz. Every major television network trumpeted the news. Even the Wall Street Journal took interest.

JOHN DOHERTY: For ACL recovery, the mind matters

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

I have long said an athlete tearing his or her ACL is much like a death in the family. Certainly not the same, but “much like" in that the athlete and his or her family experience genuine grief — with all its stages.

JOHN DOHERTY: ABCs of ACL lost in NBA

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

Basketball certainly is a contact sport — and that's just in the sports section of the newspaper. The verbal jousting of late has been as bad as I've seen — and that's just among members of the same team.

JOHN DOHERTY: Athletic trainers march on

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

With a slogan that reads, “Every Body Needs an Athletic Trainer,” the National Athletic Trainers’ Association has designated March as National Athletic Training Month.

JOHN DOHERTY: Current events recall sad anniversary

John Doherty Times Columnist

Munster High School's boys basketball team completed its second undefeated season in school history on Friday. The first time it happened was two years ago, and just a week later, 120 miles from here, Fennville (Mich.) High School also comple…

JOHN DOHERTY: Athletes drowning in search for Fountain of Youth

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

It's been 500 years since Ponce De Leon set off from Puerto Rico in search of the Fountain of Youth. Instead, he found Florida.

JOHN DOHERTY: Cardiac safety legislation well-intended but not well-aimed

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

Over the last four years, the NFL and like-minded groups have had one success after another promoting youth concussion safety legislation in statehouses nationwide.

JOHN DOHERTY: Concussion season is never ending

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

Football season may have ended Sunday but concussion season did not. Other sports and recreational activities continue and, with them, hits to the head.

JOHN DOHERTY: NFL injury practices far from letter perfect

John Doherty Times correspondent

DEAR JOHN DOHERTY: The New England Patriots played tight end Rob Gronkowski in the divisional playoff game. And he breaks his arm AGAIN! Can you comment on whether a poor and rushed decision was made?-- Thomas Thiel

JOHN DOHERTY: Athletic trainer's presence saves greatest present of all

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

Having started in the profession as a student athletic trainer at Blinn College (Texas) in 1963, Mike O'Shea should be retired by now.

John Doherty: Alphabet soup a toxic brew

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

ACL, CTE, HGH, LCL. These letters have dominated sports headlines already this year.

John Doherty: Concussion law has more than one flaw

By John Doherty Times Correspondent

Since becoming effective in July of last year, the Concussion Law in Indiana has generated as many questions as answers.

JOHN DOHERTY: Before hitting new year, peruse biggest comebacks of 2012

John Doherty Times Columnist

Who shall it be now?

Danko and officials worth remembering

John Doherty Times Columnist

For the last 18 years around this time, in this space, I have given thanks for and to the officials who keep our games safer than they otherwise would be. I do so because it was just before the start of the Christmas season, on Nov. 18, 1994,…

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