Andrews Athlete Expands Focus on Athlete Safety

Dr. James R. Andrews from Alabama is collaborating with Dr. Rod Walters, founder of a consulting company known as Walters, Inc., to enhance athlete safety standards. This partnership aims to broaden the impact of emergency preparedness in sports.

The announcement came from Andrews Athlete, which was co-founded by Dr. Andrews and Chad C. Henderson, who is also the CEO of Catalyst HealthSpan Enterprises. Together with Doug and William Sellers, they are launching a significant expansion of the company.

In this new role, Walters will serve as the National Director of Athlete Safety. His experience includes overseeing high-profile independent reviews that will help refine emergency action plans and establish stronger national accountability standards in sports.

His past work involves critical incidents, such as the tragic death of Maryland football player Jordan McNair in 2018 and Garden City Community College football player Braden Blood Force in 2019, as well as the investigation into a cluster of thyroid issues within the 2024 men’s lacrosse team at Tufts University.

“Rod Walters has set the standard for what effective emergency preparation looks like within athletics,” noted Doug Sellers, CEO of Andrews Athlete.

Walters aims to incorporate his expertise into Andrews Athlete alongside Ron Courson, who is the executive director at the University of Georgia, to ensure both athletes and staff are adequately prepared for emergencies.

“My lifelong mission is about helping athletes safeguard against injuries. And when they do occur, ensuring they can return to play quickly and safely,” Andrews expressed. He emphasized that the goal is to create a comprehensive system that surpasses mere clinical care, focusing on safety tools for athletes, ranging from youth leagues to professional teams.

As a long-standing member of the Alabama Business Hall of Fame and associated with the Andrews Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery, Andrews mentioned that this initiative aims to ready all athletic programs for emergencies.

Alabama has a substantial athletic community that is increasingly focusing on emergency preparedness—implementing protocols for fever, sudden cardiac events, and practical emergency action plan drills. The local collaboration between ASMI and Andrews Sports Medicine boosts readiness for student-athletes each spring. The partnership with Walters, Inc. helps Andrews Athlete expand training and safety compliance effort statewide.

Despite having announced his retirement from active surgical practice in 2024, Andrews remains a key figure in sports medicine, continuing to steer the Andrews organization that operates throughout Alabama and the Gulf Coast. His Birmingham-based organization is also linked to the Andrews Institute in Breeze, located near the Florida coast.

“I’m looking forward to collaborating with esteemed brands like Andrews Athlete, and I’m thrilled about the expanded platform,” commented Dr. Walters.

As a subsidiary of Andrews Medicine, Andrews Athlete is committed to extending Dr. Andrews’ legacy by reinforcing the structure of athletic departments with a focus on safety.

Both organizations share a core belief: every athlete, from youth to professionals, deserves exceptional care.